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GIORGIO      ARMANI 


GIORGIO      ARMAN 


GuggenheimMUSEur 


Published  on  the  occasion  of  the  exhibition 
GIORGIO     ARMANI 
Organized  by  Germano  Celant  and  Harold  Koda 
with  Susan  Cross  and  Karole  Vail 


Hardcover  edition  distributed  by 

Harry  N.  Abrams 

100  Fifth  Avenue 

New  York,  New  York  10011 


Exhibition  designed  by  Robert  Wilson 

Solomon  R.  Guggenheim  Museum.  New  York 
October  20.  2000-January  17.  2001 

Guggenheim  Museum  Bilbao 
March  12-August  26.  2001 

Giorgio  Armani 

©  2000  The  Solomon  R    Guggenheim  Foundation.  New  York. 

All  rights  reserved. 

All  Giorgio  Armani  works  ©  Giorgio  Armani  S.p.A. 

Used  by  permission.  All  rights  reserved. 

isbn  0-89207-235-0  (softcover) 
isbn  0-8109-6927-0  (hardcover.  Abrams) 
isbn  3-7757-0979-9  (hardcover.  Hatje) 
isbn  0-89207-236-9  (fabric  edition) 


Hardcover  edition  distributed 
in  German-speaking  countries  by 
Hatje  Cantz  Verlag 
Senefelderstrasse  12 
D-73760  Ostfildern 
Germany 

Catalogue  design:  Takaaki  Matsumoto.  Matsumoto  Incorporated,  New  York 

Two  different  covers  have  been  created  for  this  catalogue.  One  of  them  features 
photographs  by  Tom  Munro.  The  other,  a  special  edition,  is  covered  with  fabric  chosen  by 
Giorgio  Armani. 

Frontispiece:  Andy  Warhol,  Giorgio  Armani,  1983  (detail) 

Printed  in  Germany  by  Cantz 


Guggenheim  Museum  Publications 

1071  Fifth  Avenue 

New  York,  New  York  10128 


CONTENTS 


viii  Preface  and  Acknowledgments  by  Thomas  Krens 

xiv  Giorgio  Armani:  Toward  the  Mass  Dandy  by 

Germano  Celant 


ARCHITECTURE/DESIGN 
200        The  Elegance  of  the  Everyday:  The  Interiors  of 

Giorgio  Armani  by  Donald  Albrecht 
204        Armani  by  Design  by  Andrea  Branzi 


PRIVATE      AND      PUBLIC 
2  Interview  with  Armani  by  Ingrid  Sischy 

20  Milan  in  the  1970s  and  1980s  by  Natalia  Aspesi 

26  The  Armani  Army  by  Marshall  Blonsky  with  the 

collaboration  of  Edmundo  Desnoes 

Special  Photography  Projects  by  Walter  Chin,  Pamela 
Hanson,  Patrick  Demarchelier,  and  Herb  Ritts 


Special  Photography  Projects  by  Thomas  Schenk, 
Guido  Mocafico,  Michel  Comte.  Nathaniel  Goldberg 
Raymond  Meier,  and  John  Akehurst 

209        Armani  and  Architecture  by  Lisa  Panzera 
224        Armani  and  Textiles  by  Catherine  Perry 
231        Selected  Garments  by  Harold  Koda 


33  Armani  and  Hollywood  by  Hamish  Bowles 

59  Selected  Garments  by  Harold  Koda 


GENDER 
68  Liberty,  Equality,  Sobriety  by  Suzy  Menkes 

74  On  Womenswear  by  Franca  Sozzani 

82  The  Menswear  Revolution  by  Patrick  McCarthy 

Special  Photography  Projects  by  Tom  Munro,  David  Bailey, 
Aldo  Fallai,  Carter  Smith,  Peter  Lindbergh,  and  Sean  Ellis 

89  Androgyny:  Undoing  Gender  by  Susan  Cross 

100  The  Armani  Look  by  Catherine  Perry 

116  Traditionalism:  Redoing  Gender  by  Susan  Cross 

126  Changing  Roles  by  Susan  Cross 

135  Selected  Garments  by  Harold  Koda 


WORLD      CULTURE 
156        The  Sands  of  Time:  Histoncism  and  Orientalism 
in  Armani's  Designs  for  Women  by 
Caroline  Rennolds  Milbank 


CINEMA 
246        Armani,  Film,  and  Fashion  by  Valerie  Steele 
252        Made  in  Milan:  Notes  for  a  Screenplay  by 

Martin  Scorsese  and  Jay  Cocks 

Special  Photography  Projects  by  Miles  Aldridge. 
Ellen  Von  Unwerth,  Terry  Richardson,  and 
Enrique  Badulescu 

257        Advertising  Stills  by  Karole  Vail 

270        Armani  and  Film  Costume:  Creating  Character  by 

Catherine  Perry 
280        Moving  Images  by  Karole  Vail 
292        Snapshots  of  Milan:  Emporio  Armani  Billboards  by 

Alberto  Abruzzese 
315        Selected  Garments  by  Harold  Koda 


326  A  Selection  of  Armani:  Entries  by  Harold  Koda 

344  Men's  and  Women's  Collections.  1976-2000 

358  Chronology  by  Karole  Vail 

368  Selected  Bibliography  by  Maria  Dupre 


Special  Photography  Projects  by  Paolo  Roversi, 
Steve  Hiett,  Albert  Watson,  Satoshi,  and 
Frederik  Lieberath 


161        A  Place  in  the  Sun  by  Susan  Cross 
175        Selected  Garments  by  Harold  Koda 


This  exhibition  is  made  possible  by  InStyle' 


SPONSOR'S      STATEMENT 


He  is  the  man  who  got  rid  of  the  gray  flannel  suit.  The  stiff,  heavy,  gray  flannel  suit.  The  designer  who 
showed  women  they  could  dress  for  the  office  without  looking  like  men.  The  imagination  that  shaped 
a  wardrobe  so  supple  and  seductive  for  Richard  Gere  in  American  Gigolo  that  menswear  in  this 
country  was  never  the  same  again.  The  seer  who  foresaw  that  putting  stars  in  his  clothes  could  not 
only  create  an  explosive  synergy  between  Hollywood  and  fashion,  but  also  inspire  everyone  to  create 
a  few  opening  nights  in  their  own  lives. 

Even  if  you  don't  own  a  single  A/X  T-shirt,  if  you  so  much  as  glance  in  a  mirror  as  you  dress 
each  morning,  Giorgio  Armani  has  influenced  your  wardrobe.  His  passion  (perhaps  even  obsession) 
for  simplicity  in  all  forms  of  dressing  has  repeatedly  been  embraced  by  an  industry  every  time  it 
needs  to  find  its  way  back  to  reality.  For  twenty-five  years  his  ceaseless  desire  to  make  clothes  that 
move  with  effortless  elegance,  radiate  confidence  and  modernity,  and  replace  fuss  with  facility  and 
ease  has  put  anyone  who  cares  about  style  forever  in  his  debt. 

In  Style  is  pleased  to  offer  support  for  this  exhibition  and  applauds  the  Guggenheim  Museum 
for  spotlighting  Armani's  extraordinary  career. 


Martha  J.  Nelson 
Managing  Editor,  In  Style  Magazine 


PREFACE     AND     ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 


Thomas  Krens 


The  Solomon  R.  Guggenheim  Museum  is  pleased  to  present  Giorgio  Armani,  a  survey  of  Giorgio 
Armani's  unparalleled  contribution  to  the  world  of  design.  Spanning  his  twenty-five-year  career,  this 
exhibition  will  demonstrate  how  Armani's  radical  innovations  in  the  realm  of  clothing  design  have 
transformed  the  face  of  contemporary  fashion  and  inspired  an  entire  generation  to  rethink 
conventional,  gender-specific  modes  of  dress.  The  Armani  look  is  synonymous  with  an  androgynous 
elegance  that  is  at  once  classical  and  casual.  His  reconfiguration  of  the  traditional  suit  from  a  rigidly 
tailored  garment  to  an  unstructured,  flowing  form  gave  new  emphasis  to  the  male  physique,  which 
had  long  been  suppressed  in  business  attire.  And  his  adaptation  of  the  man's  suit  for  women  marked 
a  liberating  trend  in  womenswear. 

Many  contemporary  designers  have  been  influenced  by  the  visual  arts,  while  numerous 
contemporary  artists  have  appropriated  fashion  as  a  means  of  self-expression.  This  exchange  has 
been  deeply  significant  for  both  fields  and  is  a  hallmark  of  culture  at  the  outset  of  the  twenty-first 
century.  The  Italian  Futurists  were  among  the  earliest  Modern  artists  to  underscore  the  inter- 
relationship between  art  and  fashion.  Giacomo  Balla,  for  instance,  advocated  the  idea  of  a  totally 
designed  environment,  which  would  include  not  only  art  and  architecture,  but  design  and  fashion  in 
particular.  Armani  has  inherited  the  mantle  of  his  Italian  forebears.  His  vision  encompasses  a 
completely  choreographed  aesthetic  experience,  from  his  fashion  designs  to  his  home  collections. 

While  design  and  objects  of  material  culture  have  traditionally  been  considered  secondary  to 
the  "high"  arts,  since  the  beginning  of  the  twentieth  century  artists  and  designers  have  blurred  those 
distinctions  in  their  melding  of  aesthetics  and  function,  of  art  and  everyday  life.  The  Guggenheim 
Museum  has  consistently  investigated  the  central  role  that  design  has  played  in  modern  culture  since 
1991,  when  it  expanded  its  vision  to  include  architecture,  design,  and  new  media.  Guggenheim 
exhibitions  such  as  The  Great  Utopia:  The  Russian  and  Soviet  Avant-Garde,  1915-1932  (1992-93), 
The  Italian  Metamorphosis,  1943-1968  (1994-95),  Art/Fashion  (1997),  and  The  Art  of  the 


Motorcycle  (1998)  presented  a  range  of  artistic  languages,  including  art.  architecture,  fashion,  and 
design,  demonstrating  the  fusion  that  has  often  occurred  between  them. 

Giorgio  Armani  has  been  realized  by  the  efforts  and  support  of  many  individuals  and 
institutions  too  numerous  to  cite  here.  Nevertheless,  we  would  like  to  express  our  thanks  to  the 
incredible  team  of  talented  and  devoted  people  who  worked  so  diligently  to  bring  about  this  project. 
We  owe.  of  course,  the  greatest  debt  of  gratitude  to  Giorgio  Armani  himself,  whose  incomparable  work 
and  vision  we  are  celebrating.  We  are  also  grateful  to  the  individuals  at  Giorgio  Armani  S.p.A.  who 
helped  bring  this  exhibition  to  fruition.  We  recognize  that  this  exhibition  would  not  have  been 
imaginable  without  the  efforts  and  creative  talents  of  its  co-curators.  Germano  Celant.  Senior  Curator 
of  Contemporary  Art.  Guggenheim  Museum;  and  Harold  Koda.  guest  curator.  Each  has  brought  his 
expertise  and  his  unique  sensibilities  to  bear  upon  this  show. 

In  addition,  we  are  pleased  to  have  had  the  chance  to  work  with  distinguished  artist  and 
designer  Robert  Wilson  and  to  collaborate  with  Elisabetta  di  Mambro  of  Change  Performing  Arts  and 
the  rest  of  Wilson's  team.  Wilson's  unique  exhibition-design  concept  has  transformed  the  museum, 
providing  a  dramatic  and  incomparable  setting  for  Armani's  designs.  Robert  Wilson  himself  wishes  to 
thank  the  Aventis  Foundation  and  the  following  World  Sponsors  who  support  his  work  through 
contributions  to  the  Byrd  Hoffman  Foundation:  American  Friends  of  the  Paris  Opera  and  Ballet.  Giorgio 
Armani,  Lily  Auchincloss  (in  memoriam),  Bacardi  USA.  Inc..  Irving  and  Dianne  Benson.  Pierre  Berge, 
Elaine  Terner  Cooper.  Ethel  de  Cresset  (In  memonam).  The  Edelman  Companies,  Christian 
Eisenbeiss.  Marina  Eliades,  Eric  and  Martine  Franck.  Betty  Freeman,  Agnes  Gund,  Christopher  Henkel. 
Gabriel  Henkel.  Donna  Karan.  Mrs.  Barnett  Newman  (In  memoriam).  Simon  de  Pury,  Katharine  Rayner, 
Mark  Rudkin,  Gher,  Sackler,  Louisa  Stude  Sarofim.  The  Juliet  Lea  Hillman  Simonds  Foundation, 
Annaliese  Soros.  Darthea  Speyer.  Stanley  Stairs,  Rowshanak  Vakil,  Robert  Wilson  Stiftung,  Robert  W. 

Wilson,  and  Yves  Saint  Laurent  Parfums. 

Takaaki  Matsumoto  Is  to  be  commended  for  his  elegant  catalogue  design.  On  the  occasion  of 
the  exhibition  and  as  a  special  feature  of  the  catalogue,  the  Guggenheim  has  invited  twenty-five 
prominent  fashion  photographers  to  interpret  and  celebrate  Armani's  designs  by  creating  their  ow 
mages  Fabien  Baron  and  Lisa  Atkin  of  Baron  and  Baron,  Inc.  w„h  Amanda  Haan  must  be 
acknowledged  for  their  tremendous  effort  in  bringing  on  board  a  group  of  the  best  photographers 
Tor  n  today.  Our  deepest  thanks  go  to  the  photographers  themselves:  John  Akehurst,  M,  es 
Iridge  Enrique  Badulescu.  David  Bailey,  Walter  Chin.  Michel  Comte.  Patrick  Demarche  r  Sea 
E  A  do  Fa  la,.  Nathaniel  Goldberg.  Pamela  Hanson.  Steve  Hiett.  Frederik  Lieberath.  Peter 
Lildber  Raymond  Meier.  Guido  Mocafico.  Tom  Monro.  Terry  Richardson.  Herb  Rltts,  Paolo  Rovers,. 

—Z  -Z a,s  and  institutions  ^^^S^ZZSTZZZ 


PROJECT      TEA 


Curatorial: 

Germano  Celant,  Senior  Curator  of 

Contemporary  Art 
Harold  Koda.  Guest  Curator 
Susan  Cross.  Assistant  Curator 
Karole  Vail.  Curatorial  Assistant 
Lisa  Panzera.  Project  Assistant  Curator 
Maria  Dupre,  Research  Assistant 
Deirdre  Donohue,  Art  Librarian 
Shannon  Bell,  Intern 
Jenny  Doussan.  Intern 
Jessica  Glasscock,  Intern 
Kanne  Prot.  Intern 

Project  Management: 

Lisa  Dennison.  Deputy  Director  and 

Chief  Curator 
Jane  DeBevoise.  Deputy  Director 

for  Program  Administration 
Karen  Meyerhoff.  Director  of  Exhibition  and 

Collection  Management  and  Design 
Marion  Kahan.  Exhibition  Program  Manager 

Exhibition  Design: 

Robert  Wilson,  Designer 

Michael  Galasso.  Music 

A.  J.  Weissbard.  Lighting  Designer 

Stephanie  Engeln.  Collaborator  for  Visual 

Design 
Serge  Von  Arx,  Collaborator  for  Visual  Design 
Stefan  Lang,  Administrative  Assistant 
Michael  Galasso  and  Peter  Cerone.  Sound 

Designer 
Elisabetta  di  Mambro.  Change  Performing 

Arts.  Producing  Director 


Museum  Design  Staff: 

Sean  Mooney,  Exhibition  Design  Manager 

Ana  Luise  Leite.  Exhibition  Design 

Coordinator 
Concetta  Pereira,  Design  Associate 
Bernardo  Zavattini,  CAD  Operator 
Angelo  Morsello.  Design  Assistant 
Emily  Waters,  Chief  Graphic  Designer 
Annabel  Dalziel,  Graphic  Designer 
Laura  Bush.  Assistant  Graphic  Designer 

Conservation: 

Carol  Stringan,  Senior  Conservator 
Denyse  Montegut,  Consulting  Textile 
Conservator  and  Fiber  Analyst 
Joanne  Dolan.  Consulting  Textile  Conservator 

Dressers/Stylists/Seamstresses: 

Jammie  Artise.  Head  Dresser/Stylist 

Shannon  Bell.  Dresser 

Rebecca  Stephanys,  Dresser 

Enka  Svek,  Dresser 

Kathryn  Connors.  Dresser 

Denny  Stone.  Dresser 

Monta  Magner.  Dresser 

Diane  Maglio.  Dresser 

Deborah  Decamp,  Dresser 

David  Berube.  Dresser 

Beth  Dincuff,  Dresser 

Glenn  Connelly.  Dresser 

Minda  Drazin.  Dresser 

Homa  Tarzi.  Seamstress 

Registrar: 

Meryl  Cohen,  Head  Registrar 
Marylouise  Napier,  Registrar 
Alexia  Hughes.  Assistant  Registrar 

Fabrication: 

Peter  Read,  Manager  of  Exhibition 

Fabrications  and  Design 
David  Johnson,  Chief  Framemaker 
Scott  Wilhelme.  Chief  Cabinetmaker 
Steve  Engelman,  Technical  Specialist 
Ed  Gallagher.  Exhibition  Fabricator 
Kirk  Anders.  Fabrication  Crew 


Grant  Larsen,  Fabrication  Crew 
Eric  Aurandt.  Fabrication  Crew 
Melissa  Lockwood.  Fabrication  Crew 
Michael  Smerka.  Fabrication  Crew 
Christopher  George.  Fabrication  Crew 
Sandor  Temlock,  Fabrication  Crew 

Construction: 

Richard  Gombar.  Construction  Manager 

Michael  Sarff,  Assistant  Construction 

Manager 
Thomas  W.  Cooney.  Construction  Crew 

Manager 
Geof  Davis.  Construction  Crew  Foreman 
Alexander  Djikia,  Construction  Crew  Foreman 
Robert  Gainfort,  Construction  Crew  Foreman 
Charles  Kolnik.  Construction  Crew  Foreman 
Keith  Benjamin,  Construction  Crew 
Sal  Bertolino.  Construction  Crew 
Leslie  Bernstein.  Construction  Crew 
Eamon  Brady  and  Crew 
William  Eric  Brown,  Construction  Crew 
David  Etzion.  Construction  Crew 
Ben  Fine,  Construction  Crew 
David  Ghesquire.  Construction  Crew 
James  Gomez.  Construction  Crew 
Emily  Hall.  Construction  Crew 
Patricia  Hubbard.  Construction  Crew 
Eric  Knox.  Construction  Crew 
Susan  McNally.  Construction  Crew 
Michael  Miller.  Construction  Crew 
Sergio  Palacios.  Construction  Crew 
Hickory  Ragette.  Construction  Crew 
William  Ragette.  Construction  Crew 
Richard  Ransom,  Construction  Crew 
Colleen  Rae  Smiley.  Construction  Crew 
Tom  Stallone,  Construction  Crew 
Leslie  Steigleman.  Construction  Crew 
Emily  Stevenson,  Construction  Crew 
Diane  Tenerelli,  Construction  Crew 
Tim  Thyzel,  Construction  Crew 
Martin  Whiteley,  Construction  Crew 
Christopher  Williams.  Construction  Crew 
Robert  Yucikas,  Construcf/on  Crew 


Art  Services  and  Preparations 

Scott  Wixon.  Manager  of  Art  Services 

and  Preparations 
Joe  Adams.  Assistant  Manager  of 

Art  Services 
Jocelyn  Brayshaw,  Chief  Preparator 
Lisette  Baron-Adams,  Senior  Associate 

Preparator 
Barry  Hylton.  Senior  Exhibition  Technician 
David  Bufano,  Senior  Exhibition  Technician 
Elisabeth  Jaff,  Associate  Preparator 

for  Paper 
James  Nelson.  Associate  Preparator 
Chris  Alzapiedi,  Art  Handler 
Mike  Asente,  Art  Handler 
Joel  Bacon.  Art  Handler 
Dennis  Balone.  Art  Handler 
Jeff  Britton.  Art  Handler 
Mike  Bundy.  Art  Handler 
Hazel  Collins.  Art  Handler 
Jack  Davidson.  Art  Handler 
Eric  Edler.  4rf  Handler 
Cannon  Hudson,  Art  Handler 
Mark  Johnson,  Art  Handler 
Grace  Kobayashi.  Art  Handler 
Keven  Laverty.  Art  Handler 
Christopher  Lea,  Art  Handler 
Eric  Magnuson,  Art  Handler 
Larry  Mantello,  Art  Handler 
Ned  McBee,  Art  Handler 
Colin  O'Neal.  Art  Handler 
Terry  Pomponio,  Art  Handler 
Gene  Schmidt,  -4ft  Handler 
Matt  Schwede,  Art  Handler 
Robert  Walden.  Art  Handler 
Fritz  Welch,  Art  Handler 
Matt  Willard,  Art  Handler 
Chris  Williams.  Art  Handler 


Lighting: 

Mary  Ann  Hoag.  Lighting  Designer 
Laura  Antonow.  Lighting  Assistant 
Michele  Disco.  Lighting  Assistant 
Lenore  Doxsee.  Lighting  Assistant 
Brenda  Dolan.  Lighting  Assistant 
Kevin  Kane,  Lighting  Assistant 
Traci  Klainer.  Lighting  Assistant 
Jennifer  Kaiser,  Lighting  Assistant 
Karen  Spahn,  Lighting  Assistant 

Film  and  Video: 

Ultan  Guilfoyle,  Director  of  Film  and 

Video  Production 
Paul  Kuranko,  Media  Arts  Specialist 
Reginal  Leigh  Harper,  Film  Clip  Coordinator 

Public  Affairs: 

Scott  Gutterman,  Director  of  Public  Affairs 

Betsy  Ennis.  Senior  Publicist 

Shannon  Leib.  Public  Affairs  Coordinator 

Dabney  Doswell.  Public  Affairs  Assistant 

Education: 

Marilyn  JS  Goodman,  Director  of  Education 
Pablo  Helguera,  Senior  Education  Manager 
David  Bleecker.  Education  Program 

Coordinator 
Alison  Derusha,  Education  Program 

Coordinator 
Juliet  Sorce,  Education  Associate 
Abigail  Diner.  Education  Associate 


External  Affairs: 

Melanie  Forman.  Director  of  Development 

Ben  Hartley.  Director  of  Corporate 

Development 
Kendall  Hubert.  Manager  of  Corporate 

Sponsorship 
Susan  Madden,  Director  of  Individual 

Giving  and  Membership 
Jennifer  Sancton.  Manager  of  Individual  Giving 
Gina  Rogak.  Director  of  Special  Events 
Stephen  Diefenderfer,  Special  Events  Manager 
Peggy  Allen,  Development  Coordinator 

Marketing  and  Visitor  Services: 

Laura  Miller,  Director  of  Marketing 

Amy  Kaufman.  Director  of  Visitor  Services 

Retail  Distribution: 

Marlene  Kristoff.  Director  of  Retail 

Distribution 
Peter  Capnotti.  Reta/7  Operations  Manager 
Gianmarco  Leoncavallo.  Merchandise  and 

Marketing  Assistant 

Facilities.  Security  and  Information  Technology: 
Mark  DeMairo.  Director  of  Facilities 
Tom  Foley.  Director  of  Security 
Sabina  Comely,  Director  of  Technology 

Applications 
Walter  Christie,  Maintenance  Electrician 

Theater  and  Media  Services: 

Michael  Lavin,  Technical  Director 

Victoria  Holland.  Assistant  Theater  Manager 


Publications 

Anthony  Calnek.  Director  of  Publications 

Elizabeth  Levy.  Managing  Editor/Manager  of 

Foreign  Editions 
Elizabeth  Franzen,  Manager  of  Editorial 

Services 
Jennifer  Knox  White,  Editor 
Cindy  Williamson,  Assistant  Production 

Manager 
Esther  Yun,  Assistant  Production  Manager 
Domenick  Ammirati.  Assistant  Editor 
Melissa  Secondino,  Production  Associate 
Meghan  Dailey.  Assistant  Editor 
Rachel  Shuman,  Administrative  Assistant 
Victoria  Rich.  Photographic  Researcher 
Susan  McNally 

Catalogue  Design: 

Matsumoto  Incorporated 

Takaaki  Matsumoto.  Art  Director.  Designer 

Larissa  Nowicki,  Designer 

Thanh  X.  Tran,  Designer 

Delphine  Barnnger.  Office  Manager 

Photography: 

David  Heald,  Head  Photographer 
Ellen  Labenski,  Associate  Photographer 
Kim  Bush.  Manager  of  Photography 
and  Permissions 


Special  Photography  Project: 
Baron  &  Baron,  Inc.,  Art  Direction 
Amanda  Haan,  Production,  with  special 

thanks  to  Libby  Haan  and  Charles 

Brown 

Photographers 
John  Akehurst 
Miles  Aldndge 
Enrique  Badulescu 
David  Bailey 
Walter  Chin 
Michel  Comte 
Patrick  Demarchelier 
Sean  Ellis 
Aldo  Fallai 

Nathaniel  Goldberg 

Pamela  Hanson 

Steve  Hiett 

Frederik  Lieberath 

Peter  Lindbergh 

Raymond  Meier 

Guido  Mocafico 

Tom  Munro 

Terry  Richardson 

Herb  Ritts 

Paolo  Roversi 

Satoshi 

Thomas  Schenk 

Carter  Smith 

Ellen  Von  Unwerth 

Albert  Watson 


GIORGIO     ARMANI:     TOWARD     THE      MASS      DANDY 


Germano  Celant 


In  1980,  when  movie  screens  all  over  the  world  were  showing  Paul  Schrader's  American  Gigolo,  the 
shirts,  ties,  and  suits  of  Giorgio  Armani  made  their  appearance  as  tools  of  seduction  and 
enchantment,  by  means  of  which  the  gigolo,  as  played  by  Richard  Gere,  came  to  assume  a  magnetic, 
exciting,  enigmatic  and  mysterious  identity.  The  mass  dandy  was  born.  This  behavioral  model, 
conveyed  by  a  system  of  mass  communication,  invited  individuals — the  spectators — to  forge  their  own 
self-image,  and  therefore  their  own  destinies,  by  means  of  clothing  made  up  of  the  refined  but  mass- 
produced  objects  typical  of  pret-a-porter  fashion. 

The  American  gigolo,  unique  in  his  good  looks  and  identity,  wants  to  attract  and  fascinate; 
however,  living  at  once  on  his  physical  appearance  and  the  availability  of  his  body,  which  is  put  into 
circulation  to  satisfy  the  desires  of  others,  he  can  be  eccentric,  but  not  too  much  so.  His  body,  like 
his  clothing— his  second  skin— must  give  off  magic,  so  as  to  become  an  object  of  enjoyment,  of 
furtive  pleasure  and  momentary  excitation.  His  whole  being  is  therefore  a  bewitching  universe  capable 
of  unleashing,  with  beauty  as  much  as  with  purely  visual  conjuring,  the  magnetism  binding  seducer 
and  seduced,  actor  and  spectator.  He  is  a  cold  and  indifferent  shadow  that  lights  up  by  means  of  the 
mimetic  virtuosity  of  his  own  attractiveness  and  that  of  his  clothes;  he  is  reflected  in  them  and 
dissolves  in  them  like  an  object  of  pleasure  among  other  objects  of  pleasure.  He  is  a  lover,  slave, 
prostitute,  son,  brother,  father,  boss — a  being  always  spilling  over  into  something  else:  a  human 
entity  capable  of  absorbing  and  incorporating  others'  desires  in  himself,  like  the  very  clothes  he 
wears.  He  fills  a  void  and  his  essence  is  a  self-offering  as  a  body-object  passing  over  or  through 
another  body  without  changing  its  own  physical  or  expressive  state.  He  is  not  empty,  but  merely 
supple,  like  an  article  of  clothing  capable  of  absorbing  any  body,  appropriating  it  and  regenerating 
itself  in  it.  transmitting  a  way  of  being  while  remaining  the  same — a  neutral  thing  that  negates  and 
affirms  itself  at  once,  an  open  figure  that  implies  all  aspects  and  all  types  of  body. 

The  gigolo  is  today's  dandy.  His  style  is  not  the  excessive,  unique  one  of  his  nineteenth- 


Richard  Gere  in  Paul  Schrader's 
American  Gigolo,  1980 


Oscar  Wilde,  1875 


century  predecessor,  which  always  straddled  the  boundary  of  incomprehensibility,  for  the  gigolo 
remains  frivolous  and  decadent,  hiding  behind  a  face  that  is  a  perfect,  attractive  mask.  He  is  proud  of 
pleasing  others,  ironic  and  refined,  flawless  in  appearance  and  a  snob.  He  turns  his  look,  his  outward 
aspect,  into  a  mode  of  survival.  Like  an  Oscar  Wilde,  a  Barbey  d'Aurevilly,  a  George  Bryan  Beau 
Brummel,  Gere  the  gigolo  crystallizes  into  an  object  among  objects,  a  clothed  body  that  makes  style 
his  manner  of  being-in-the-world.  Nevertheless,  compared  to  his  predecessors,  the  Hollywood 
Ganymede  does  not  parade  an  abundance  or  accumulation  of  fabrics  and  embroideries,  of  silks  and 
dazzling,  garish  colors.  Rather,  he  goes  against  the  grain,  opting  for  the  minimal:  subtle  variations  on 
one  color,  earth-tone  monochromes,  and  the  occasional,  though  rare,  handcrafted  fabric.  He  selects 
things  as  though  wanting  to  avoid  and  deflect  attention,  entrusting  himself  to  a  secret,  silent 
acceptability  in  which  sweetness  and  softness  are  the  true  protagonists  of  his  seduction,  which 
interweaves  the  virile  and  the  feminine.  As  he  must  indeed  give  of  himself,  he  is  forced  to  display  an 
open  character  whose  sexuality  is  fluid:  he  highlights  the  masculine,  but  does  not  suppress  his 
feminine  element,  and  thus  cloaks  himself  in  androgyny.  He  avails  himself  of  a  form  of  expression 
and  a  mask  capable  of  m.m.cking-like  his  clothing  and  outer  layer-the  desire  and  pleasure  of  the 
other  person.  He  thus  avoids  vulgarity  and  spectacle,  dissolving  the  impetus  and  perfection  of  his 
limitlessly  available  body  in  the  suppleness  of  the  materials  and  colors  that  liberate  its  sensual  form 
but  grant  him.  in  their  uniformity  and  measure,  a  triumphant  innocence. 

Compared  to  his  nineteenth-century  referents,  who  refused  to  be  part  of  the  multitude  and 
thought  of  the  "fashionable"  as  something  surprising  and  unusual  and  of  refinement  as  the  "high 
life  "  the  gigolo  is  neither  original,  nor  unique,  nor  rare,  nor  disturbing,  nor  different.  Rather,  he 
repeats  gestures  and  behaviors  he  assumes  will  please  others  and  lead  to  triumphs.  At  the  same 
time  he  is  a  multiple  being:  his  existence  depends  on  the  assent  of  many  people  and  on  the  plurality 
created  by  his  expansion  in  space  and  t.me.  brought  about  by  the  communicative  vehicle  that 


objectivizes  him  in  the  eyes  of  others:  the  cinema.  The  American  gigolo  is  a  figure  multiplied  in  the 
eyes  of  millions;  he  is  the  product  of  an  imaginary  life  onto  which  the  fantasies  and  desires  of  the 
masses  are  projected.  And  so  he  becomes  a  mass  dandy,  a  common  being  who  makes  the  singular, 
unique  function  of  the  dandy  plural,  taking  its  sophisticated  discourse  and  carrying  it  over  into  a 
popular  dimension,  that  of  a  mass  otherness  capable  of  becoming  an  oneiric,  planetary  vision. 

The  Armani  style  that  gave  expression  to  the  mass  dandy  was  part  of  a  renewal  that  occurred 
in  fashion  in  1975,  when  pret-a-porter  was  born,  transforming  haute  couture  into  mass  fashion.  The 
former's  role  as  an  absolute,  elitist  vision,  with  its  useless  forms  representing  a  theatricality  of 
prestige  and  power  charged  with  old,  mummified  codes  linked  to  social  and  economic  subjection, 
came  to  an  end,  and  a  new  realm  opened  up,  one  bound  to  an  egalitarian  mentality  seeking  to  annul 
differences  and  disadvantages,  to  undermine  roles  and  disparities  in  dress  and  self-presentation. 
Fashion  left  the  inner  sanctum  of  the  chosen  few,  shed  its  cumbersome,  off-putting  theatricality,  and 
became  a  transparent  medium  no  longer  bound  to  the  aristocratic  manner  of  certain  identities,  but 
now  devoted  to  the  narcissism  of  the  many,  if  not  everyone.  It  forgot  its  otherness  and  entered  into 
everyday  life,  moving  from  a  limited  aesthetics  to  a  generalized  one  that  went  so  far  as  to  include  a 
reflection  of  all  beings  and  all  things,  which  thus  became  equivalent.  This  was  a  new  dimension,  no 
longer  connected  to  a  separate,  autonomous  universe,  but  to  the  spread  of  the  literacy  of  mass  taste. 

At  the  same  time,  the  search  for  fashion  images  and  ideas  became  part  of  a  decorative 
culture  in  which  the  reality  of  social  status  was  transformed  into  images,  into  a  simulation  of 
individual  identity.  Clothing  thus  became  an  imaginary  duplicate  that  served  to  legitimize  and  reflect 
one's  social  and  economic  desires,  even  when  these  were  nonexistent.  It  became  a  stage  set  for  the 
struggle  between  true  and  false,  good  and  evil,  original  and  copy,  reality  and  travesty.  It  involved 
one's  own  display  and  styling,  giving  another  meaning  to  subjectivity  and  to  what  lay  beneath  the 
clothing.  It  seemed  to  satisfy  the  demand  for  a  less  solemn,  less  gilded  form  of  fashion,  one  suited 
to  the  new  systems  of  mass  communication.  And  in  fact  it  became  more  public  and  reproducible.  In 
particular,  pret-a-porter  fashion,  launched  by  Christian  Dior  and  Yves  Saint  Laurent  in  1975,  found  its 
strength  in  the  notion  of  repetitiveness  and  the  relationship  between  the  original  and  the  copy  so 
perfect  as  to  dissolve  all  difference  and  sense  of  primacy.  This  was  a  fashion  of  mimicry,  based  on 
the  appearance  of  uniqueness,  but  produced  by  the  thousands,  with  objects  appearing  and 
reappearing  in  infinite  variants  that  continually  created  a  sense  of  ex  novo  from  one  same  thing. 

In  1975,  when,  after  a  brief  stint  of  medical  study  that  taught  him  the  relationship  between 
design  and  anatomy,  Armani  began  his  adventure  as  a  designer  alongside  Sergio  Galeotti — an 
architect  and  thus  someone  who  was  able  to  recognize  the  roots  of  structural  transformation  in  forms 
and  volumes — he  realized  that  the  traditional  concept  of  fashion  was  entirely  inadequate  for  the 
profound  social  and  intellectual  changes  that  had  taken  place  in  the  previous  decade,  which  had  led 
to  an  annulment  of  formal  and  behavioral  differentiation  between  young  and  old,  feminine  and 
masculine,  poor  and  rich,  high  and  low.  In  a  brief  span  of  time,  in  fact,  temporal  and  thematic 
differences  were  also  annulled — between  old  and  new,  exotic  and  traditional.  Everything  became 
synchronic  and  replaceable,  making  every  iconographic  or  material  element  mutable  and  permutable. 
Fashion  was  forced  to  adapt  and  become  eclectic,  no  longer  being  able  to  keep  to  a  single  unitary, 
univocal  principle  that  categorically  reflected  a  social  and  sexual  identity,  which  had  frozen  styles  for 
decades.  Now  it  exploded  anew  each  season.  It  was  no  longer  a  vehicle  of  the  dominant  ideology — 
white,  male,  and  European — but  aimed  instead  at  reflecting  all  cultures,  adapting  to  the  equivalency 
and  reversibility  of  all  choices,  which  could  no  longer  be  reduced  to  a  definite  unity.  This 
indeterminacy  undermined  absoluteness  and  unidirectionality,  which  were  replaced  by  a  multiplicity 
based  on  the  combination  of  elements.  Sexual  and  social  roles  were  blurred;  the  visible  and  the 
invisible,  the  naked  and  the  clothed  blended  into  one  another. 

Armani  was  one  of  the  first  to  intuit  this  change  of  direction,  which  envisaged  fashion  as  a 


Actress  Tahtha  Pol  and  husband  Paul 
Getty,  Jr.,  Rome,  1971.  dressed  in 
"couture"  hippy  style 


Isabella  Rossellini.  Rome,  1970 


Spring/Summer  1987 


mass  dream-vision  in  which  clothing  was  an  intermediary  instrument  of  an  egalitarian  mentality  as 

well  as  a  crystallization  of  the  des.res  and  tastes  of  a  broad  swath  of  people  wishing  to  forge  the.r 

own  identities.  He  understood  that  his  role  was  to  objectify  an  aspiration  to  be.  which  arose  from  a 

mass  demand  that  reawakened  to  the  forms  of  life  after  the  generational  rebellion  of  1968.  The 

explosion  of  individual  creative  freedom  brought  with  It  a  liberation  of  clothing  from  the  limits  imposed 

on  It  by  the  social  cond,tion  of  fashion.  The  point  was  no  longer  obligation  and  rationality,  but  a 

persona,  and  imaginative  growth  in  which  everyone  could  stake  out  his  or  her  own  unprecedented 

terrain  of  identity.  Having  been  educated  In  a  cultural  epoch  dominated  by  impersonal  apparel- 

particular  the  uniforms  of  the  large  manufacturers  Facis  and  Lebole.  which  were  sold  at  La 

Rinascente.  the  department-store  chain  where  Arman,  began  his  adventure  into  the  universe 

on    and  the  uniforms  of  proletarians  and  the  bourgeoisie,  which  canceled  ou,  the  individual 

wea   ng  t'em  In  favor  of  a  homogenized  collectivity-Arman,  understood  that  clothing  was  instead 

;  art    ft      everyday  management  of  one's  appearance,  a  too,  of  personal  symbology:    W  en  I  began 
part  eve  y     y  ^  ^^  ^  ^  ^  „,  technlcians 

M  MHMMW.  ««"«"  <»>"»  "«    ""  „  „,.  „„.«,„  „om  ,„„  p.,,.,,,.,,..,... 

„..  .pp.™..  »-;«';;;:;;;•:;,;;:;:  .P-....P » «.» .  »—• >  -  —■ » 

:.z<3— —  jl  . —  -  -  - — — — - 


KVfl 


the  age  of  haute  couture,  which  had  operated  in  terms  of  pure  creativity,  isolating  the  beautiful  from 
the  useful  and  confining  the  pleasure  of  dressing  to  a  luxury  phenomenon,  was  past,  and  thought  that 
pret-a-porter  clothes  could  lend  dignity  to  fashion,  which  could  actually  come  to  influence  and  change 
the  tastes  of  its  consumers  by  opposing  kitsch  and  vulgar  notions  of  personal  beauty.  He  did  not 
conceive  of  fashion  as  an  alternative  capable  of  differentiating  social  classes,  but  rather  looked  to  its 
possibilities  as  a  cultural  industry  that  would  turn  creative  products  into  discoveries  and  aesthetic 
valorizations.  Haute  couture  was  utterly  ill-suited  to  attempt  to  realize  mass  elegance,  the  possibility 
of  which  it  denied  and  considered  undesirable;  it  was  not  ready  to  meet  the  demand  for  differentiated 
but  democratic  signs.  Indeed,  if  it  had  responded  to  these  demands,  it  would  have  lost  its  identity: 
haute  couture  lives  with  the  dandy  and  dies  with  the  mass  dandy. 

All  that  remained  was  an  item  of  mass  production  that  continued  to  exalt  the  narcissistic 
image  of  the  person,  but  was  available  to  millions  of  consumers.  "The  true  leader  of  fashion."  Armani 
has  said,  "is  industry.  Pret-a-porter.  the  manufactured  garment,  is  the  true  force  of  fashion.  Today 
fashion  is  that  which  is  sold  in  great  quant.ties.  or  at  least  in  quantities  that  are  visible  when  you 
walk  down  the  street.  High  fashion  for  the  wealthy  and  the  very  rich  still  exists,  but  the  rule  is  that 
the  articles  shown  on  the  runway,  with  a  few  corrections  and  a  few  modifications,  must  be  capable  of 
becoming  clothes  for  everyone."2  Fashion  could  not  continue  to  affirm  a  social  and  economic  split 
that  at  the  time  appeared  quite  visibly  in  its  absolutizing  differentiations,  as  witnessed  in  the  films  of 
that  decade,  from  the  garments  by  Roberto  Capucci  and  Emilio  Schuberth  worn  by  the  clerical  and 
papal  nobility  in  Feder.co  Fellini's  La  Dolce  Vita  (1960).  to  the  monochrome  black  of  the  upper 
bourgeoisie  of  Michelangelo  Antonioni's  UAvventura  (1960).  to  the  motley  and  haphazard  look  of  the 
proletarian  class  in  Pier  Paolo  Pasolmi's  Accattone!  (1961).  Rather,  fashion  had  to  d.ssolve  the 
distinctions,  to  reinvest  clothing  with  a  signic  function  that  would  become  a  surrogate  identity.  This 
was  why  Armani  refused  the  oppositional  approach,  blurred  the  boundaries  between  power 
relationships  and  sexual  differences,  between  feminine  "being"  and  masculine  "doing."  and  went  in 
search  of  a  new  and  different  aesthetic  and  visual  style  that  would  produce  "power"  by  itself — 
elegance  as  a  mode  of  self-projection  as  person:  "I  believed  in  a  new  elegance,  in  a  new  fashion  in 
step  with  the  changes  in  women  and  the  world:  essence,  simplicity,  figure,  rigour,  sober  beauty, 
restrained  colours.  This  conviction  suggested  a  way  of  being,  and  a  way  of  operating  in  keeping  with  a 
new  concept  of  the  classic.  I  wanted  to  be  more  democratic,  and  to  separate  high  fashion  from  the 
image  of  an  applied  art  destined  for  only  a  few  globetrotting  jet-set  millionaires.  I  thought  about 
people.  ...  I  thought  about  a  form  of  education  of  taste."3 

He  conceived  of  clothing  as  a  mobile  object,  one  not  fixed  to  anthropological  and  social 
identities,  but  existing  as  movement  and  transition  between  the  two.  He  established  no  absolute 
boundaries,  but  expressed  instead  a  dynamic,  nonstatic  notion  that  went  so  far  as  to  allow  clothing  to 
exist  as  an  open-ended,  formless  condition  covering  the  closed  form  of  the  body.  This  tearing  down  of 
walls  of  opposition  clearly  reflected  a  cultural  climate  in  which  hard  ideological  divisions  were 
dissolved;  Armani  mirrored  this  in  the  production  of  objects  of  apparel  that  corresponded  to  the 
collapse  of  separateness  and  structure.  On  the  level  of  separateness.  his  style  sought  a  transition 
between  the  poles  of  masculine  and  feminine,  and  aspired  to  a  fusion  of  differences.  In  this  way, 
fashion  no  longer  claimed  to  possess  absolute  values,  but  rather  sought  to  move  toward  a  neutral 
sexuality  based  on  the  design  of  clothing  that  might  embrace  both  sexes.  He  created  a  single  image 
that  established  a  third  way.  by  means  of  a  new  structural  order  and  a  new  kind  of  fabric.  His  design 
aimed  to  let  the  product  correspond  not  to  a  gender,  but  to  a  bodily  pleasure,  because  what  had 
mattered  in  earlier  clothing  was  the  sublimation  of  one's  pleasure  and  sensibility.  And  since  being 
•fashionable"  meant  sharing  the  aesthetic  customs  of  a  global  mass  of  people— that  is.  recognizing 
oneself  in  others  and  sharing  their  general  aspirations  to  elevate  themselves— Armani  began  to 
interweave  opposites:  masculine  and  feminine,  proletarian  and  bourgeois,  local  and  international, 


classical  and  experimental,  present  and  past,  haute  couture  and  pret-a-porter,  mass  production  and 
one-of-a-kind,  structure  and  antistructure,  the  bodily  and  the  bodiless. 

In  the  language  of  fashion,  this  meant  a  deconstruction  of  the  relationships  between 
opposing  signs,  with  the  qualities  of  one  form  entering  the  other  and  vice  versa.  Armani  began  by 
destructuring  the  jacket,  unhinging  the  system  of  rules  and  constants  upholding  its  design;  he 
changed  proportions,  exploited  defects,  and  overturned  rules  in  such  a  way  that  regularity  and 
symmetry,  essentiality  and  complexity,  softness  and  rigidity,  opacity  and  transparency,  all  became 
mutually  integrated  to  create  a  sensual,  natural  style.  A  new  way  of  dressing  was  born,  based  on  a 
different  manner  of  establishing  the  relationship  between  structure  and  movement,  body  and 
garment;  the  one  does  not  command  the  other,  but  rather  functions  in  terms  of  fullness  and  softness, 
and  thus  the  body  is  no  longer  covered  by  the  garment,  but  rather  inhabits  it.  intertwines  itself  with  it. 
forming  a  unity  that  establishes  a  total  alliance  between  sensuality  and  thing.  And  since  sensuality 
belongs  as  much  to  the  masculine  as  to  the  feminine.  Armani's  1975  destructured  jacket  threw  the 
space  of  fashion  open  to  nondifference.  to  garments  that  could  be  moved  from  one  body  to  another. 
By  this  means,  the  designer  realized  that  any  schema  could  be  abandoned,  and  that  one  could  design 
things  and  garments  whose  functions  do  not  derive  from  pre-established  perspectives.  He  gave 
himself  over  to  the  outstanding  givens  of  the  object,  from  the  composition  to  the  details,  from  the 
materials  to  the  cuttings,  and  from  this  made  a  model  gratifying  to  all  types:  "All  my  work  has 
developed  around  the  jacket.  It  was  the  starting  point  for  all  the  rest.  My  small  but  crucial  discovery 
lies  in  having  imagined  a  garment  which  falls  over  the  body  in  a  surprisingly  natural  manner.  I 
experimented  with  new  techniques,  remov.ng  the  lining,  or  the  interlining.  I  have  modified  the 
arrangement  of  the  buttons,  and  rad.cally  altered  the  proportions.  What  was  previously  considered  a 
defect  has  become  the  basis  for  a  new  form:  a  new  jacket.  This  creative  procedure  has  generated  a 
light  jacket,  as  comfortable  as  a  shirt,  sensual  even  in  its  construction."4 

This  deconstruction  called  into  question  all  the  conventional  and  arbitrary  definitions  that 
have  sustained  the  concept  of  d.fference.  Difference  surv.ves  when  an  element,  of  clothing  or  any 
other  thing,  refers  only  to  a  primary  definition  based  on  hierarchical  opposit.ons-the  most  powerful 
and  traditional  of  these  being  the  institutional  acceptance  of  the  d.fference  between  masculine  and 
feminine   Armani's  destructured  jacket  identified  a  possible  space  for  both,  a  third  term  that  was  not 
a  term    a  wrapping  that  was  sexually  blurred  because  it  could  be  worn  by  either  side.  By  workmg,  In 
fact    w'.th  asymmetry.  Armani  challenged  the  binary,  harmonious,  stable  symmetry  of  stereotyped 
forms  indicated  in  the  terms  "masculine"  and  "feminine."  H.S  jacket  was  a  too.  of  unstable  identity 
that  could  adapt  itself  to  any  bodily  context  whatsoever,  thus  satisfying  the  emotional  and 
psychological  requirements  of  a  femininity  tending  to  the  masculine  as  well  as  a  masculinity  tha 
aspired  to  the  feminine.  The  Armani  sty,  helped  to  bring  about  a  cr.s.s  in  all  sue     c,ear-cu 
definitions;  it  situated  itself  in  the  area  of  androgyny.  No  more  men  and  woman ^gen  lemon  and 
ad.es    but  timeless,  bodiless  people  able  to  move  about  from  here  to  there,  from  high  to  low  from 
autocracy  to  the  middle  Cass,  from  young  to  old.  from  black  to  white,  from  the  femin.ne  to  the 

maSCUlm0Gn  the  feminine  level,  this  process  of  indistinotion  facl.itated  the  dec.ine  of  women's  Imitation 


Fall/Winter  1994-95 


Fall/Winter  1998-99 


can  be  used  to  create  a  harmonious  equilibrium,  far  from  the  extremist  stereotypes  of  the  macho  man 
and  the  woman  imprisoned  in  the  squalid  part  of  the  doll-whore."5 

For  reasons  of  harmony,  following  in  the  footsteps  of  Gabrielle  "Coco"  Chanel  and  Paul 
p0jret_who  were  the  first  to  present  a  woman's  liberation  through  the  elimination  of  decor  and 
ornamental  details  and  through  the  use  of  severity  and  simplicity— Armani  designs  linear,  neutral 
garments  that  are  architecturally  soft.  They  live  on  the  threshold  of  gender  and  function,  so  that  day 
becomes  confused  with  night,  work  with  pleasure,  artifice  with  naturalness:  "I  began  to  work  in  the 
field  of  women's  fashion  when  women  went  around  dressed  .  .  .  like  flowers.  I  wanted  a  fashion  that 
was  for  everybody.  And  I  realized  women  did  not  have  a  way  of  dressing  that  was  easy,  modern, 
somewhat  close  to  men's  style.  It  was  the  time  when  women  realized  that  they  could  stand  up  for 
their  rights  in  a  decisive  manner,  feminism,  more  or  less,  and  also  dressing  in  this  new  feminine  spirit 
was  very  right."6 

His  language  has  generally  been  defined  as  minimal  and  classical.  Minimal,  because  the 
designed  garment  satisfies  simple  and  essential  personal  demands.  It  draws  attention  to  the  body  by 
means  of  a  cut  and  a  style  of  workmanship,  a  material  and  color  that  become  indistinguishable  from 
the  bodily  shape  wearing  it.  It  keeps  one's  own  identity  alive  but  also  underscores  others  that  are 
linked  to  a  higher  quality  of  life,  conveyed  almost  always  through  Armani's  choice  of  fabrics  and 
details  that  are  elaborately  constructed  but  simple  in  appearance.  The  style  is  also  minimal  because 
it  does  not  accept  the  convolution  of  superficial,  iconic  mutations,  but  rather  effects  subtle  variations 
and  permutations  of  the  same  primary  elements,  which  are  repeatedly  updated  and  renewed,  keeping 
constant  the  method  and  concept— which  is  that  of  a  body  that  absorbs  the  body,  appropriating  it  in 
order  to  give  it  back  regenerated  and  visually  qualified.  It  is  precisely  here  that  the  Armani  style 
achieves  its  optimal  result.  In  his  clothes,  the  forms  wrap  and  cover  the  body  in  a  second  skin  that 
allows  one  to  perceive  the  inside  as  much  as  the  outside,  by  means  of  thin  tissues  and  soft  fabrics 


that  assume  the  forms  of  the  flesh  like  an  inorganic  epidermis.  At  the  same  time,  this  style  is  called 
classical  because  it  prefers  closed  form  to  open  form,  the  pleasure  of  the  line,  of  muted  colors,  of 
unity  to  multiplicity,  a  sense  of  clear  form  to  ambiguity— and  because  it  prefers  the  process  of 
removal  and  subtraction,  using  simple,  incisive  elements  that  always  waver  between  the  traditional 
and  the  advanced:  "I  am  not  so  enthused  when  people  say  that  I  am  a  classicist,  remote,  distant  from 
the  present-day  distress  of  being  in  style,  and  with  this  they  feel  that  they  have  said  the  last  word 
about  my  work.  If,  in  my  work,  I  begin  with  the  rules  of  tradition,  I  do  so  because  I  am  convinced  that 
only  by  understanding  these  conventions  can  we  go  beyond  them  to  truly  change  the  form,  the 
structure  of  the  garment.  To  build  a  suit  which  is  in  conscious  equilibrium  between  the  tradition  and 
the  originality  of  my  time."7 

The  Armani  style  is  therefore  surprising.  It  nullifies  the  conflict  between  dignity  and  sex, 
between  dress  and  power.  It  also  produces  an  aesthetic  beauty  on  the  level  of  the  liberation  of  social 
minorities  and  sexualities;  acquires  public  importance  through  diffusion  and  mass  culture,  while 
remaining  open  to  the  imaginary  and  the  sensual;  creates  narcissistic  commodities  no  longer 
determined  only  by  functionality,  but  also  by  such  models  of  symbolic  identification  as  gender  and 
status.  It  offers  the  freedom  to  move,  through  a  change  of  style,  from  a  local  condition  to  an 
international  one  that  coincides  with  globalization  and  the  universalization  of  the  bourgeois  ideal  that 
leads  everyone  worldwide  to  aspire  to  a  comfortable,  privileged,  and  elegant,  but  adventurous  life. 
The  Armani  style  is  part  of  this  modernization  of  middle-range  tastes,  for  it  provides  a  wrapping  or 
garment  that  is  not  an  elitist  option,  but  rather  a  democratic  one,  on  the  level  of  aesthetic  supply.  And 
yet  while  it  may  remain  economically  at  the  high  end  of  the  spectrum,  his  product  reflects  the  growing 
sophistication  of  the  world's  citizens,  whose  personalities  are  seemingly  ever  more  oriented  toward 
an  enlightened  search  for  self  beyond  all  hedonism  and  spectacle. 

Here,  too,  Armani  tries  to  close  the  circle.  When,  in  the  1980s,  he  opened  fashion  up  to  the 
exotic  world  of  ethnic  cultures,  he  drew  his  inspiration  from  the  visual  and  spiritual  treasures  of  Asia, 
in  an  attempt  to  interweave  East  and  West:  "My  collections  in  the  1980s  were  full  of  references  to 
the  Orient.  When  I  wanted  to  express  the  sensation  of  the  greatest  wealth  of  the  decade,  instinctively 
I  turned  to  the  images  of  a  vague  East,  that  of  the  Japanese  samurai,  of  Imperial  China,  of  the 
herdsmen  of  Mongolia,  or  of  the  maharajas  of  India,  who  have  always  fascinated  me  because  of  their 
dignity,  composure,  luxury,  character.  These  images  were  useful  to  express  an  idea  of  opulence  which 
was  not  hedonistic.  In  the  1990s  the  echo  of  a  vague  Islamic  Orient  has  provided  me  with  terms  for 
the  expression  of  an  idea  of  simplicity  and  inner,  spiritual  wealth.  This  is  an  atmosphere  which,  with  a 
few  touches,  alludes  to  a  man  who  knows  how  to  be  gentle,  and  to  a  woman  who  knows  her  own 
mind.  My  interest  in  the  Orient  is  not  a  stylistic  whim,  it  is  based  on  a  certain  spiritual  affinity  for  the 

East  and  its  cultures."8 

But  the  inanimate  materiality  of  the  spirit  in  turn  recalls  the  flesh,  which  is  not  its  opposite 
but  rather  the  place  where  the  life  force  and  instinctual  and  sensual  power  of  the  human  being 
circulate.  And  since  for  Armani,  fashion  is  life,  living  thought,  the  mutual  attachment  between  garment 
and  body  takes  place  by  means  of  the  flesh,  the  very  material  nucleus  that  serves  as  the  garment's 
support,  in  the  absence  of  which  there  could  be  no  d.scussion  of  fashion  as  existence  or  life.  Another 
theme  straddl.ng  the  threshold  of  roles  is  that  of  the  fabric's  being  able  to  pass  gently  from  a 
condition  as  clothing  to  a  condition  as  skin.  Here  the  garment  is  no  longer  ornament,  but  pure 
sensuality;  it  is  not  something  heavy  and  opaque  adorning  the  body  and  rendering  it  solemn,  but 
something  immaterial  and  metaphysical  underscoring  the  sol.d  energy  and  beauty  of  the  flesh. 

Perhaps  drawing  inspiration  from  non-Western  cultures,  Armani,  in  1990,  interpreted  the  body 
as  a  transformer  of  energy,  a  kind  of  cauldron  capable  of  rece.v.ng  and  transmitting  nature's  powers 
and  giving  them  back  in  purified  form.  This  passage  from  the  carnal  to  the  spiritual  manifested  itself 
in  an  exp.orat.on  of  design  that  put  transparency  at  the  center  of  its  language.  H-s  fabr.cs  began  to 


acquire  total  freedom;  not  only  did  they  destructive  bodies,  but  they  also  destructured  themselves  in 
blending  with  the  anatomical  contours  of  their  wearers.  They  represented  hips  and  breasts,  shoulders 
and  torso,  legs  and  back.  An  erotic  relationship  was  thus  established  between  nude  body  and 
clothing,  the  one  not  excluding  the  other.  Dressing  returned  to  ground  zero,  a  point  where  such 
notions  as  full  and  empty  collapse.  It  became  the  light,  mischievous  hieroglyphic  of  a  sensual  vortex 
from  which  masculine  and  feminine  bodies  emerged,  regenerated.  His  garments  clothed  the  body,  but 
at  the  same  time  made  its  magnificence  visible,  and  fashion  became  a  union  between  the  perdition  of 
sensuality  and  the  salvation  of  its  covering.  The  Armani  style  reappropriated  both  and  made  them  an 
integral  part  of  one's  everyday  mode  of  existence. 

This  is  why  one  speaks  of  Armani  as  formless,  precisely  because  his  forms  are  implicitly  both 
seen  and  not  seen.  His  garments  move  between  the  visible  and  the  invisible,  between  the  hidden  and 
the  desired.  Fashion  is  thus  transformed  into  a  silent  drama  of  sensuality,  a  magical  action  that 
transcends  the  limits  of  gender  and  sex.  Armani's  minimalism  is  a  stripping  down,  in  which  the 
body — which  is  always  nude — becomes  a  medium  of  communication.  The  garment  defines  its  natural 
language,  echoing  its  magnetism,  which  is  communicated  through  contact  between  the  two,  in  which 
the  veil  or  transparency  represents  the  search  for  an  organic  relationship  between  thing  and  person. 
In  Armani's  style,  clothing  is  no  longer  the  opposite  of  nakedness,  but  rather  its  inflection.  Although  it 
uses  physical  materials,  its  function  is  to  resonate  with  the  body's  language.  From  this  perspective, 
Armani  goes  against  the  fetishism  of  the  garment;  he  rejects  its  value  as  effigy  and  the  symbolism 
that  moves  it  too  close  to  an  abstract  concept.  On  the  contrary,  he  fights  for  a  living  culture  of 
fashion,  which  must  not  be  simply  a  surface,  but  a  focal  point  of  emotional,  spiritual,  physical,  and 
erotic  energies.  Hence  the  use  of  transparency,  and  the  incorporeality  of  the  fabrics  and  materials, 
which  allow  the  flesh  to  re-emerge,  no  longer  camouflaged  or  falsified,  but  exposed  and  sublimated  in 
all  its  reality  as  a  desired  surface.  The  threshold  of  the  socially  forbidden  has  been  crossed  yet 
again:  the  coveted  bodies  cannot  be  touched,  but  the  gaze  may  achieve  a  relationship  of  voluptuous 
immediacy  with  them.  Transparency  allows  the  eyes  to  possess  from  a  distance,  to  infringe  on  reality 
and  see  the  texture  and  colored  nuances  of  a  torso  or  breast.  The  diaphanousness  of  Armani's 
fabrics  serves  at  once  as  a  trap  and  a  screen.  It  attracts  desire  and  blocks  it,  seeks  at  once  to  draw 
in  and  repel,  but  above  all  it  creates  an  active,  living  space,  which  is  the  infinite  space  of  seductions. 
In  Armani,  the  airy  and  the  velvety,  the  satiny  and  the  silky,  reflection  and  color  are  nothing  more  than 
the  other  side  of  the  destructured  garment.  They  serve  to  bring  to  light  what  lies  beneath  the  clothing; 
not  to  hide  it,  but  to  make  it  sexy:  "It  is  true  that  I  have  always  loved  a  certain  discipline,  a  certain 
cleanness  of  line,  but  it's  true  that  I  also  love  to  think  that  people  dress  to  be  sexy."9 

And  thus  the  body's  substance  is  liberated,  manifested  with  such  force  that  it  evaporates  and 
ultimately  dissolves  into  something  resembling  insubstantiality,  something  as  evanescent  as  the 
fabric  itself.  At  the  same  time,  through  the  sort  of  dialectical  interplay  that  underlies  his  style,  Armani 
produces  a  contrary  movement:  he  makes  fluids  coagulate;  he  solidifies  and  densifies  colors  and 
their  lights.  The  intense  chromaticism  of  his  materials  and  the  palpable  thickening  of  the  fabrics  play 
an  important  role  in  his  imagination.  He  aerates  fluidity,  but  gives  solidity  and  density  to  colors,  which 
assert  themselves  with  an  uncertainty  that  prevents  them  from  being  fixed  in  one  single  state  or 
another.  They  too,  like  the  garments,  are  transitional;  they  point  to  "in-between"  states  likely  to  flow 
into  one  another.  They  are  yet  another  attempt  to  avoid  demarcation,  which  is  why  they  are  vague.  But 
in  the  end  they  are  Armani's  colors — balanced  greens  and  reds,  blues  and  grays,  beiges  and  creams 
that  live  on  the  borders  of  definition,  propagating  another  vagueness.  They  participate  in  the 
integration  of  opposites,  for  they  are  assimilated  with  one  another,  juxtaposed  or  overlapped,  in  plays 
of  soft  and  sandy  variants  that  create  the  effect  of  blending  and  reverberation:  "I  am  known  as  the 
stylist  without  colour,  the  inventor  of  greige,  a  cross  between  grey  and  beige.  I  love  these  neutral 
tones,  they  are  calm,  serene,  they  provide  a  background  upon  which  anyone  can  express  himself.  It  is 


a  way  to  connect  and  combine  the  other  colours.  It  is  a  base  upon  which  to  work,  and  it  is  never 
definitive,  never  dissonant,  never  a  passing  trend,  it  is  always  something  that  remains,  a  versatile 
basis  over  which,  from  time  to  time,  to  imagine  other  things."1' 

In  Armani's  noncolors,  light  often  tends  to  slow  down,  to  liquefy  and  thicken,  as  though 
having  to  pass  through  a  murky  transparency  that  imprisons  it  and  turns  it  into  physical  mass. 
Armani's  surfaces  are  dense  with  shadowy  colors  that  condense  and  assume  strong,  solid  shapes,  as 
if  wanting  to  become  the  atmosphere  in  which  the  flesh  floats.  Next  to  the  strong  sensual 
connotations  of  the  flesh,  colors  can  only  be  neutral,  absent  of  precise  definition,  for  they  are  a 
compact,  deep  background  that  highlights  the  lively,  transitory  fluidity  of  the  body.  They  present  no 
clear-cut  margins,  for  they  tend  to  constitute  a  uniform  aggregate  that  remains  indifferent  and 
autonomous  in  regard  to  the  masculine  or  feminine  body  of  the  model  that  inhabits  it.  Thus  the 
Armani  style  appears  bodiless  and  timeless,  an  open  universe  where  past  and  future  may  intersect. 

In  conclusion,  one  could  say  that  Armani  has  succeeded  in  combining  various  opposites  that 
were  separated  and  juxtaposed  in  fashion  for  decades.  He  has  created  contiguity  and  transition 
between  already  existing  languages.  Rather  than  keeping  them  distant  from  one  another,  he  has 
integrated  them,  orchestrating  more  active  relationships  through  interchanges  of  materials  and 
genders,  states  of  being  and  places.  From  color  to  color,  from  cut  to  cut.  from  destructuring  to 
destructuring,  change  becomes  a  style  based  on  the  resonance  of  the  immaterial  in  the  material,  the 
sensual  in  the  spiritual.  Armani  works  at  interweaving  East  and  West,  local  and  global,  covering  and 
unveiling,  fullness  and  emptiness,  in  order  to  re-absorb  difference  and  equal.ze  diversity.  He  pushes 
the  different  boundaries  toward  each  other  until  they  overlap-masculine  and  feminine,  mass  and 
dandy-in  order  to  make  a  common  notion  arise  between  them  and  in  them.  He  gleans  sameness 
from  contraries,  and  in  this  way  his  style  marks  a  historic  inversion  in  fashion.  To  continue  to  exist, 
fashion  must  not  codify  itself,  but  rather  keep  moving  in  order  to  remain  itself.  To  Armani,  a  language 
that  dissolves  and  is  reborn  to  produce  an  elegance-that  of  the  mass  dandy,  at  once  feminine  and 
masculine— means  "not  being  noticed,  but  being  remembered."11 


Notes 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 


-Armani  Disarmed,"  Empono  Armani  magazine  (Milan)  14  (September-February  1995-96). 

p.  3. 

Ibid.,  p.  4. 

Ibid. 

Ibid.,  p.  3. 

Ibid.,  p.  6. 

Giorgio  Arman,  in  -Armani:  The  Artist  as  Entrepreneur."  R.A.I,  te.ev.sion  special.  1998. 

"Armani  Disarmed."  p.  4. 

Ibid.,  p.  7. 

Giorgio  Armani  In  "Armani:  The  Artist  as  Entrepreneur. " 

■Armani  Disarmed."  p.  8. 

Paraphrased  from  Ibid.:  "Elegance  doesn't  mean  being  noticed,  it  means  being  remembered." 


A 


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NTERVIEW     WITH      ARMANI 


Ingrid  Sischy 


Ingrid  Sischy:  Are  you  surprised  by  your  life? 
Giorgio  Armani:  Yes,  absolutely.  I  never  planned  it  out  this  way. 

IS:  When  you  were  a  kid.  when  you  imagined  the  way  your  life  would  be,  what  did  you  see? 
GA:  Well,  we  children  didn't  have  many  chances  to  daydream.  It  was  wartime.  There  were  very  real, 
everyday  problems.  I  didn't  have  time  to  think  about  my  dreams  for  the  future.  We  were  concerned 
with  certain,  very  basic  things:  eating,  getting  cheap  school  books,  and  being  able  to  go  to  the 
cinema  on  Sundays.  We  weren't  allowed  much! 

IS:  You  grew  up  in  Piacenza.  which  exper.enced  a  lot  of  bombing.  How  did  that  affect  you? 
GA:  It  was  very  difficult.  The  war  affected  everything.  I  didn't  have  a  happy  childhood.  I  experienced 
the  death  of  two  childhood  friends  from  a  war  bomb.  I  was  machine-gunned,  with  my  three-year-old 
s.ster  Rosanna;  we  were  in  the  street  and  a  plane  flew  over  us,  so  we  threw  ourselves  into  a  ditch. 
I  was  small  and  I  covered  my  sister.  It  was  traumatic.  There  were  planes  flying  over  us  and  we  were 
under  bombs  all  the  time.  Our  parents  used  to  wake  us  up  at  night  to  take  us  to  the  shelter.  At  three 
in  the  morning,  with  blankets,  we'd  all  be  there,  all  the  children  In  the  building.  Once  we  had  gotten 
over  the  shock  of  being  woken  up  so  brusquely,  though,  it  was  even  fun. 
IS-  What  were  you  like  as  a  boy.  from  your  perspective? 

GA:  I  was  an  observer.  I  liked  to  listen  rather  than  openly  express  myself.  This  trait  is  somethmg 
that  I've  retained  over  the  years. 

IS-  Can  you  describe  a  happy  memory  from  your  youth  in  Piacenza? 

GA-  I  remember  a  family  trip,  possibly  the  only  one.  In  a  wonderful  car  with  leather  and  metal 
spokes   It  probably  belonged  to  a  friend  of  my  father's  and  was  an  old  1930s  model.  We  had  parked 
this  car  by  the  side  of  a  lake,  and  we  were  eating  frittata.  I  have  a  wonderful  memory  of  the 
beautiful  sky.  the  light  blue  lake,  the  smell  of  the  omelette  and  of  the  leather  In  the  car. 
&,.«,.  A,man,  on  vacation.  iM3  IS:  After  the  war  ended,  you  left  Piacenza.  right? 


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GA:  Yes.  We  began  a  new  life  in  Milan.  It  was  a  city  of  many  ghettos — for  the  rich,  for  the  middle 

class,  for  the  poor.  It  was  a  very  difficult  time  for  our  family.  My  parents  were  struggling  to  rebuild  a 

decent  life  after  the  war.  Milan  seemed  a  big,  tough  city — very  different  from  the  quiet  little 

provincial  town  of  Piacenza. 

IS:  You  were  a  teenager  when  you  came  to  Milan.  What  would  you  do  for  fun? 

GA:  It  was  a  totally  different  world  from  what  it  is  today.  On  Sundays  we'd  go  to  the  parks,  a  group 

of  friends,  and  take  photographs.  Teenagers  were  much  younger  then  than  they  are  now.  I  was 

handed  down  my  brother's  clothes.  We  had  no  money  to  buy  things. 

IS:  I  imagine  you  were  very  aware,  as  a  young  man,  of  your  family's  struggles. 

GA:  Yes,  I  was  very  aware  of  the  problems  and  could  see  the  difficulties.  But  I  was  relaxed  about 

them,  too.  I  have  to  say  I  never  suffered  because  I  didn't  grow  up  in  a  wealthy  family.  I  was  never 

envious  of,  say,  some  school  friends  who  had  more  money.  It  never  bothered  me  to  see  they  were 

better  off  than  us.  I  had  a  lot  of  serenity  about  this. 

IS:  Tell  me  about  your  parents.  What  did  they  do  and  what  were  they  like? 

GA:  Well,  my  mother  was  a  housewife.  And  my  father  at  that  time  worked  for  a  transport  company. 

He  was  an  accountant.  He  was  extremely  reserved,  and  he  had  problems  after  the  war  because  he 

had  been  a  member  of  a  political  group.  He  hadn't  done  anything,  but  things  were  black  and  white 

then.  There  was  the  right  and  the  left,  which  meant  he  went  through  some  difficult  times.  I  think  this 

affected  him  and  demoralized  him  a  great  deal  in  his  personal  life,  and  in  the  life  of  the  whole 

family.  My  mother  was  a  very  strong  person  who  helped  my  father,  and  never  let  us  feel 

underprivileged  just  because  there  wasn't  much  money.  She  always  made  us  feel  comfortable  with 

ourselves.  She  was  a  wonderful  mother,  without  being  too  overbearing.  Possibly  by  keeping  quiet  she 

taught  us  much  more  than  if  she  had  said  a  lot.  My  mother  was  a  very  beautiful  woman,  and  yet  she 

dedicated  herself  wholeheartedly  to  the  family,  to  us,  the  children,  and  this  was  a  very  important 

lesson  for  me.  She  never  said  very  much,  but  what  she  did  say  was  sufficient.  She  had  a  way  of 

living  with  a  great  deal  of  dignity,  even  without  money.  This  was  something  that  had  a  real  effect  on 

me.  I  didn't  want  my  mother  to  go  without  something  because  of  me,  or  my  father  to  make  sacrifices 

and  give  up  things  for  me.  When  the  time  came,  I  tried  to  be  independent,  to  help  the  family  in  some 

way  and  not  be  a  cause  for  concern. 

IS:  You  have  said  that  your  mother's  innate  sense  of  style  has  been  a  constant  inspiration.  Tell  me 

about  this. 

GA:  Although  my  mother  did  not  have  a  lot  of  money  to  spend  on  clothing,  she  nonetheless  had  her 

own  style  that  was  extremely  personal.  She  took  what  she  found  interesting  from  fashion  and  ignored 

other  trends  that  she  disliked. 

IS:  Describe  one  of  her  looks,  when  you  were  still  in  Piacenza. 

GA:  Before  the  war,  she  would  wear  a  lot  of  gray.  Her  clothes  were  simple  styles,  round-neck  dresses 

in  lightweight  wool,  possibly  a  brooch,  a  simple  man's  jacket,  the  checked  jackets  of  the  1940s,  but 

with  a  very  understated  look.  She  never  gave  way  to  exaggeration.  My  mother  never  wore  hats, 

except  once  when  she  got  married.  She  had  a  very  striking  face.  She  never  needed  much  makeup;  it 

didn't  suit  her.  She  had  a  very  special  beauty;  not  the  beauty  that  I  saw  in  some  of  my  school 

friend's  mothers,  which  was  a  bit  artificial,  with  makeup  and  lipstick.  My  mother  was  less  flashy, 

with  a  square  face  and  very  pronounced  cheekbones.  She  was  a  woman  who  had  succeeded  in 

matching  her  style  to  her  temperament,  rejecting  artificiality,  ostentation,  and  caricatures.  This 

rejection  of  so  many  things  by  my  mother  had  a  definite  effect  on  me.  But  I  never  discussed  fashion 

with  my  mother,  and  I  didn't  even  think  I  would  be  particularly  interested  in  fashion  one  day. 

IS:  What  about  your  father's  style?  Did  it  make  an  impression? 

GA:  My  father's  sense  of  style  was  very  similar  to  my  mother's.  Essential  and  even  recherche 

at  times. 


IS:  And  what  about  your  relationship  to  your  older  brother  [Sergio,  who  died  in  1995]  and  your 

younger  sister  [Rosanna]? 

GA:  We  were  very  close,  yet  very  independent.  There  were  big  age  gaps  between  us,  so  we  didn't 

have  the  same  friends.  Basically  there  was  great  mutual  respect,  total  consideration,  and  an  effort 

not  to  come  into  conflict  with  each  other,  not  to  invade  each  other's  space.  We  had  moments  of 

great  happiness  all  together.  My  brother  always  put  on  shows— he  loved  the  cinema  and  theater  and 

so  he  involved  us  in  his  creative  efforts.  Perhaps  I  received  a  sense  of  art.  and  a  sensitivity  to 

theatrical  things,  from  my  brother. 

IS:  Did  your  parents  encourage  it? 

GA:  Oh  yes.  The  funny  thing  is,  my  parents  met  onstage,  acting  together.  They  often  used  to 

talk  about  it. 

IS:  Your  grandfather  also  worked  in  the  theater. 

GA:  Yes.  He  made  wigs  for  the  theater  and  he  used  to  take  me  to  the  theater  sometimes,  to  see 

what  was  going  on. 

IS:  I  read  somewhere  that  you  said  when  your  grandfather  took  you  backstage  you  were  taken  by  the 

colorfulness  of  it  all. 

GA:  I  don't  remember  whether  it  was  the  colorfulness  or  the  atmosphere.  I  remember,  for  example, 

when  I  went  to  the  theater  in  Piacenza,  which  was  an  old  municipal  theater,  like  La  Scala.  but  small. 

I  must  have  been  seven  or  eight,  and  I  loved  being  in  that  place.  I  loved  the  smell  of  the  stage. 

IS:  And  when  you  started  going  to  the  movies,  what  did  you  see? 

GA:  I  used  to  watch  Italian  films  in  Piacenza,  but  in  Milan  the  American  movies  had  arrived. 

The  American  musicals  and  westerns  came  to  our  screens,  which  I  wasn't  very  fond  of,  I  have  to  say. 

IS:  What  did  inspire  you? 

GA:  A  film  that  left  me  very  emotional  was  Ossessione  [1942]  by  Luchino  Visconti.  It  had  quite  an 

impact  on  me.  I  knew  nothing  about  the  cinema,  but  I  realized  this  film  represented  something  very 

new.  Until  then,  the  cinema  had  been  nothing  but  glamour,  with  all  the  women  wearing  suits  and 

perfect  hairstyles.  Visconti's  film  was  the  opposite.  It  was  humble,  yet  very  sensual.  The  film 

probably  awakened  my  consciousness  of  sensuality.  I  also  remember  seeing  American  films,  with 

these  American  hunks  in  red-and-wh.te  gingham-check  shirts.  I  looked  for  this  type  of  shirt  in  Italy, 

but  it  didn't  ex.st.  Everyone  told  me  what  I  was  looking  for  were  tablecloths  from  trattorias.  (Laughs.) 

Some  American  films  for  Italian  young  people  of  that  time  were  an  education,  a  way  of  breaking  out 

and  seeing  another  world.  I  liked  French  films,  too.  Someone  like  Jean  Cabin's  films  had  a  lot  of 

emotions  .  .  .  passions.  Then  the  new  age  of  Italian  cinema  began.  Neorealism.  with  directors  like 

[Roberto]  Rossellini,  whose  work  I  loved. 

IS:  When  you  moved  to  Milan  after  the  war.  what  was  your  attitude  about  fashion  and  fashionable 

things? 

GA:  When  I  first  came  to  M.Ian.  I  was  only  aware  of  the  district  where  we  lived.  We  did  not  live  in  the 

rich  part  of  M.Ian,  but  in  a  part  of  Milan  that  was  poor.  It  was  a  small  area  where  you  had  your 

friends,  the  place  where  you  played  football,  a  second-rate  enema  where  you  went  because  you 

didn't  have  the  money  to  go  to  the  center  where  the  better,  more  expens.ve  cinemas  were.  There 

were  friends'  houses  where  you  took  a  bottle  of  Scotch  and  someone  brought  a  record  player. 

Th.s  is  where  we  had  our  f.rst  romantic  experiences-when  the  parents  were  out. 

IS:  When  it  was  time  for  you  to  decide  what  to  do  with  your  life,  why  did  you  choose  to  study 

medicine-?  Why  not  become  an  actor,  since  you  loved  the  movies  so  much? 

GA-  There  was  no  open-mindedness  at  that  t.me.  If  you  were  a  man  you  had  to  be  a  notary,  a  lawyer. 

or  a  doctor.  Be.ng  an  actor  was  an  .mpossib.e  dream  for  me.  Read.ng  [A.  J.]  Cron.n  greatly  influenced 

my  amb.t.ons.  I  wanted  to  dedicate  my  future  to  helping  others-a  very  romantic  vision.  Of  course. 

I  d.scovered  during  my  university  studies  that  being  a  doctor  is  a  job  l.ke  others,  not  just  a  m.ss.on. 


IS:  When  you  had  to  leave  medical  school  for  military  service,  how  did  you  feel? 

GA:  At  the  time.  I  was  having  doubts  over  which  direction  to  take  my  studies,  so  having  to  leave  for 

military  service  was  the  perfect  excuse  to  clear  my  mind  and  take  a  well-needed  break. 

IS:  You'd  put  in  about  three  years  on  your  medical  studies,  right? 

GA:  Yes.  When  I  began  my  military  service,  I  thought  it  would  be  like  the  military  service  I  had  seen 

in  the  movie  From  Here  to  Eternity  [Fred  Zinnemann.  1953].  That  was  the  image  I  had.  I  even  took 

my  tennis  racket  with  me.  But  it  wasn't  anything  like  the  movie.  Because  I  had  done  medical  studies, 

I  was  assigned  to  the  infirmary.  It  seemed  that  military  life  was  about  boredom  and  not  the  romance 

of  friendship,  or  big  men  crying.  I  was  mostly  alone  in  the  infirmary  and  spent  most  of  my  days 

painting.  Then  a  flu  epidemic  broke  out  and  I  had  sixty  people  in  the  infirmary.  Anyway,  some  time 

later  I  had  a  short  break  from  the  service,  and  I  asked  if  I  could  work  in  Milan.  I  was  feeling 

frustrated  in  the  service,  and  was  thinking  about  what  else  I  could  do  with  my  life.  A  woman  friend 

of  mine  who  worked  at  La  Rinascente  said  there  was  a  job  in  the  advertising  department.  It  has 

to  be  said  that  I  forced  Rosanna  to  do  her  first  fashion  photos,  which  I  took  to  my  interview  there. 

The  pictures  were  terrible,  but  the  woman  who  was  in  charge  of  advertising  at  La  Rinascente  was 

very  powerful  and  she  liked  me.  She  knew  that  I  wasn't  a  photographer  and  that  Rosanna  wasn't 

a  model,  but  she  helped  me  get  a  job  there.  I  believe  in  destiny.  I  managed  to  stay  working  at 

La  Rinascente  and  finish  my  military  service  at  the  same  time. 

IS:  When  you  gave  up  medicine  for  good,  did  your  family  understand? 

GA:  During  that  period,  dreams  were  very  relative.  My  family  had  economic  problems;  therefore, 

my  main  goal  was  to  help  them. 

IS:  How  do  you  think  your  family  would  describe  you  as  a  young  man? 

GA:  I  think  they  would  describe  me  as  a  very  reserved  person,  without  a  very  clear  idea  of  what 

I  wanted  to  do  in  the  future,  but  with  a  great  aesthetic  sensitivity.  I  was  almost  never  happy  with  the 

way  my  mother  decorated  the  table,  for  instance.  I  always  said  no.  I  would  do  this  or  that  instead. 

I  had  a  very  strong  aesthetic  sense. 

IS:  Was  this  true  of  your  sister  and  brother,  too? 

GA:  No.  My  sister.  Rosanna,  less  so.  My  brother,  Sergio,  was  very  involved  in  other  things. 

He  was  very  attracted  to  girls,  for  example,  and  he  was  always  out.  He  was  very  intelligent  and 

very  sensitive,  though.  That  probably  made  life  harder  for  him.  My  sister  was  very  popular  with 

women  and  with  men,  because  she  was  very  nice  and  very  funny.  Perhaps  I  was  jealous  of  my 

sister  at  times,  of  her  open-minded  view  of  the  world. 

IS:  The  department  store  must  have  been  a  totally  different  experience  after  the  army. 

GA:  It  was.  La  Rinascente  was  the  most  important  store  in  terms  of  understanding  the  fashion 

sensibility  of  the  time.  There  were  very  smart  people  working  there  and  they  looked  at  the  American 

department  stores  and  at  the  ones  in  Switzerland,  and  they  wanted  to  make  La  Rinascente  a  great 

center,  not  just  a  sales  outlet. 

IS:  So  what  exactly  did  you  do  there? 

GA:  At  first  I  assisted  the  people  in  charge  of  window  dressing.  Then  I  oversaw  that  work— checking 

to  see  that  the  windows  were  done  properly.  Soon  I  was  moved  to  the  fashion  department,  which 

assisted  the  buyers.  My  job  was  to  help  the  buyers  provide  continuity  and  an  appropriate  atmosphere 

for  the  designers  whose  work  they  were  ordering. 

IS:  Did  you  enjoy  it? 

GA:  I  was  very  much  an  observer. 

IS:  But  you  must  have  connected  with  it  in  some  way.  Did  you  find  fashion  exciting? 

GA:  I  could  see  that  at  the  time  there  were  great  French  designers.  Remember.  I  had  had  no 

education  in  fashion,  no  training  in  drawing  or  fashion  design,  absolutely  none  at  all.  I  didn't  work 

alongs.de  the  fashion  greats,  with  a  fash.on  staff,  but  with  the  craftsmen  of  fashion.  I  was  very  much 


afraid  of  failure.  I  knew  I  had  to  learn  everything.  After  that  experience  at  La  Rinascente.  word  got 

around  that  I  was  good.  I  got  a  job  working  for  [Nino]  Cerruti.  I  did  menswear  for  Hitman,  Cerruti's 

new  menswear  line.  It  was  a  great  experience. 

IS:  I'm  curious:  what  was  your  relationship  to  fashion  magazines  then? 

GA:  When  glancing  at  magazines,  I  knew  there  were  big  differences  between  what  the  public  wanted 

and  what  the  fashion  magazines  were  proposing.  This  was  the  time  that  I  was  beginning  to  form 

strong  ideas  and  opinions  about  fashion.  It  was  also  when  the  world  of  fashion  was  beginning  to 

know  my  work.  I  had  total  independence  and  autonomy  on  the  Hitman  collection.  It  made  a  great 

deal  of  money  and  had  a  big  turnover. 

IS:  You  also  created  an  advertising  campaign  for  Hitman,  which  is  now  historic,  because  its  point 

of  view  was  revolutionary  for  the  time. 

GA:  This  was  done  with  Oliviero  Toscani,  who  took  the  famous  photograph.  It  was  a  headshot  of 

a  man  with  long  hair.  You  can  see  his  hair  moving,  but  not  his  face.  The  slogan  said,  "Hitman  by 

Giorgio  Armani."  It  was  an  honest  photograph  and  a  big  success,  but  at  first  they  said,  "Armani, 

you  shot  a  photo  where  you  can't  see  the  clothes.  What  did  you  do?  No  footwear,  no  fabric,  we 

make  fabrics,  we  make  clothes!"  I've  still  got  the  photograph.  For  the  public  it  was  something  very 

new  and  it  was  brave  of  Toscani  to  do  it.  Now  one  sees  a  lot  of  fashion  advertising  like  it.  But  this 

was  the  1970s. 

IS:  Cerruti  was  one  of  the  first  Italian  designers  to  show  in  Paris.  Did  that  mean  you  were  able  to 

go  there? 

GA:  I  went  to  Paris  only  to  observe  the  Cerruti  shows.  His  Paris  collections  were  not  designed  by  me, 
and  I  was  a  little  hurt  by  this.  Sometimes  some  of  the  things  that  I  did  were  taken  and  shown  in 
Paris,  though.  Journalists  would  tell  me  it  was  obvious  which  pieces  I  had  done.  Working  for  Cerruti 
was  a  very  important  experience  for  me,  because  it  taught  me  a  lot  and  I  was  able  to  learn  how  to 
draw.  For  a  young  designer,  to  have  a  company  behind  you  that  is  producing  your  work  makes  things 
much  easier.  Nino  Cerruti  taught  me  how  to  work  and  trusted  me.  By  the  time  I  worked  with  him, 
I  had  changed  a  great  deal.  I  was  no  longer  the  boy  I  was  at  La  Rinascente,  a  little  insecure.  I  went 
to  the  office  a  little  late  every  morning.  I  had  bought  a  convertible  Porsche.  Secondhand,  of  course. 
I  dressed  well.  It  was  the  1970s,  so  my  hair  was  long.  I  took  my  dog  with  me  everywhere,  a  boxer. 
IS:  Altogether  how  long  did  you  work  for  Cerruti? 
GA:  Eight  years. 

IS:  When  Cerruti  hired  you,  was  it  a  big  thing  for  you? 

GA:  Yes,  but  I  think  that  going  out  on  my  own  was  actually  the  real  "big  thing."  It  wasn't  easy  giving 
up  my  job-.t  was  safe,  not  difficult,  and  pretty  well  paid.  I  had  no  formal  training  in  design  or 
business    However,  being  young  and  naive  allowed  me  to  go  for  the  new  opportunity,  ignoring  the 
risks  and  my  lack  of  experience.  I  was  psychologically  ready  for  a  change.  I  realized  that  at  Cerruti 
the  chances  for  me  to  grow  creatively  were  small.  By  then  I  had  met  Sergio  Galeotti. 
IS-  I  know  how  important  this  relationship  was  for  you  in  life  and  work.  I  know,  for  example,  that 
Galeotti  was  the  one  who  pushed  you  to  start  designing  on  your  own.  Can  you  talk  about  th.s 
relationship  and  how  it  gave  you  both  the  confidence  to  flourish  with  the  talents  you  had? 
GA-  I  met  Sergio  through  friends  and  realized  right  away  that  he  had  an  unusual,  youthful  self- 
confidence  and  inner  strength.  He  had  th.s  ability  to  make  me  examine  what  I  was  do.ng.  what 
I  could  be  doing  and  to  reconsider  my  easy  life  at  Cerruti.  Serg.0  came  from  a  small  provincial 
town  that  was  just  too  small  for  his  liking.  He  was  looking  for  a  place  where  he  could  develop  his 
persona.ity  and  found  Milan  to  be  an  energetic,  active  cty.  I  helped  him  find  a  job  In  an  architecture 
flrm    When  we  embarked  on  our  own  company,  he  was  often  the  one  w.th  the  confidence.  The  most 
imPortant  part  of  our  friendship  was  that  we  believed  in  each  other  and  '-aC^ 
When  I  was  at  Cerruti.  Serg.o  would  tell  me  that  I  was  talented  and  could  do  other  th.ngs.  And  there 


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was  so  much  going  on,  in  the  culture  as  a  whole  and  in  fashion— especially  between  1973  and 
1975,  with  the  extremes  coming  from  Britain.  There  were  also  the  changes  being  brought  about 
by  a  new  generation  of  feminism.  Women  needed  a  uniform  for  the  mentality  they  were  gradually 
acquiring. 

IS:  A  uniform — or  alternatives  to  what  there  was? 
GA:  Well,  they  definitely  didn't  need  a  floral  skirt. 

IS:  And  they  weren't  finding  what  they  needed  in  the  fashion  magazines  or  in  fashion. 
GA:  There  seemed  to  be  an  aim  to  ridicule  both  men  and  women.  What  one  saw  was  trends- 
clothes,  for  instance,  that  were  obviously  under  the  influence  of  Carnaby  Street  or  the  Beatles. 
It  was  media  fashion. 
IS:  How  did  you  personally  dress? 

GA:  A  bit  like  an  office  worker  with  a  high  salary.  My  clothes  were  made  by  a  tailor.  I  would 
commission  six  outfits  a  year.  I  was  working  at  Hitman  and  yet  I  didn't  wear  Hitman  clothes! 
I  realized  it  was  time  to  look  for  a  new  reality.  I  started  to  think  about  how  to  leave  behind 
traditional  dress  without  becoming  ridiculous.  There  had  to  be  a  way  to  design  for  the  changes  that 
were  happening  in  the  world  without  resorting  to  flowers. 

IS:  When  you  and  Galeotti  set  up  your  first  office  in  1975,  were  you  both  scared  that  you  might  fail? 
GA:  Of  course!  When  we  hired  our  first  employee,  we  told  her  to  continue  with  her  studies  as  we 
couldn't  guarantee  her  future.  Believe  it  or  not,  this  person  still  works  for  me.  She  helps  me 
remember  what  it  was  like  in  the  beginning — the  courage,  the  fears,  the  triumphs. 
IS:  Almost  immediately  when  you  started  your  own  company,  you  revolutionized  menswear  with  your 
now-famous  unconstructed  jacket.  Tell  me  how  it  evolved.  For  instance,  as  a  young  man  had  you 
been  dissatisfied  with  the  clothes  that  you  had  found  hanging  in  the  stores? 
GA:  As  a  buyer,  I  found  it  difficult  because  I  had  to  please  a  type  of  clientele  who  could  spend 
money  on  clothing,  yet  the  clothing  had  very  little  detail  and  made  all  the  men  look  the  same.  I 
wanted  clothing  that  could  bring  out  a  man's  personality  and  compliment  his  body.  Therefore,  when  I 
started  on  my  own,  I  decided  to  get  rid  of  all  those  "structures"  in  jackets.  This  was  what  was 
making  everyone  look  identical.  I  experimented  with  letting  the  clothing  fall  over  a  man's  body, 
bringing  attention  to  this  so-called  "defect."  The  idea  was  to  deconstruct  the  suit,  providing  more 
freedom  and  movement.  I  thought  this  was  essential,  allowing  men  a  more  personal  and  real  look. 
IS:  When  your  revolutionary  approach  to  menswear  started  to  influence  everything,  did  you  sense 
that  it  would  change  fashion? 

GA:  I  have  made  some  personal  contributions  to  fashion,  but  fashion  moves  and  changes 
continuously.  Nowadays,  I  make  deconstructed  jackets  in  many  different  ways,  applying  them  to 
a  modern  lifestyle.  Slimmer  shoulders,  a  determined  yet  relaxed  look.  Most  importantly,  I  want  to 
remain  true  to  my  original  concept:  jackets  without  those  confining  internal  structures  that  restrict 
the  body. 

IS:  Then  you  did  it  again  with  women's  fashion.  You  have  said  that  both  feminism  and  the  style  of 
your  sister  and  her  friends,  who  rejected  stereotypical  women's  clothes,  are  what  inspired  you. 
GA:  I  applied  the  same  concepts  to  women's  clothing,  creating  a  new,  sexy  feeling  of  freedom. 
Of  course,  my  family  and  friends  were  the  first  to  experiment  and  test  out  my  ideas. 
IS:  How  would  you  describe  the  working  dynamic  between  you  and  Galeotti? 
GA:  He  was  very  clever.  He  gave  me  the  freedom  to  design  and  he  handled  the  contacts  with  the 
department  stores.  He  didn't  speak  one  word  of  English.  And  he  had  complete  belief  in  what  we 
were  doing.  I  remember  with  one  of  the  first  collections,  he  refused  to  sell  it  to  a  big  department 
store.  We  were  nobody.  And  yet  he  said  they  had  not  made  the  minimum  purchase.  I  could  hear  him 
explaining  this  in  the  background,  and  I  was  thinking:  "What's  he  saying?  What's  he  doing?  Here  we 
have  the  biggest  department  store  and  he's  telling  them  no!" 


IS:  How  long  would  you  say  it  took  you  to  find  what  we  now  think  of  as  your  voice  as  a  designer? 

GA:  At  least  four  seasons. 

IS:  Go  back  to  what  you  did  then.  Did  you  work  in  the  same  way  that  you  work  today? 

GA:  I  chose  not  to  look  at  what  was  happening  around  me.  from  the  fashion  viewpoint.  I  started 

with  a  blank  sheet  of  paper  each  season.  Even  today,  it's  a  real  drama— once  I  have  found  my  way. 

it's  OK.  but  to  find  the  road,  the  solution,  the  path,  is  a  big  drama.  I  have  a  style  to  maintain,  but 

I  have  to  renew  it  and  evolve  it.  Sometimes  this  renewal  has  led  to  collections  that  are  too  drastic. 

IS:  Such  as? 

GA:  In  the  early  1980s  I  did  a  collection  inspired  by  Japan  that  was  too  theatrical.  The  colors  were 

not  mine.  After  that  I  decided  that  for  me  there  was  only  one  way.  And  above  all  I  learned  not  to 

listen  to  other  people.  That's  dangerous. 

IS:  In  the  early  days  if  you  were  going  to  listen  to  someone,  was  it  Sergio? 

GA:  He  was  a  good  judge  of  my  work.  But  he  was  very  enthusiastic.  Sometimes  I  felt  that  he  was 

too  readily  pleased. 

IS:  In  terms  of  the  development  of  your  vision,  was  there  something  that  was  going  on  somewhere, 

in  another  field  perhaps,  that  inspired  you.  or  that  you  felt  connected  to?  Some  parallel  development 

somewhere  that  related?  Something  in  art.  maybe? 

GA:  Well,  it  was  more  indirect.  At  the  beginning  I  was  accepted  above  all  by  artists,  actors,  and 

architects,  artistic  types  of  people  who  understood  how  my  jackets  were  constructed,  who 

understood  that  the  fault  was  not  a  fault  but  a  quality.  They  understood  that  the  suits  I  was 

designing  were  meant  not  to  be  restrictive.  As  these  are  the  kind  of  individuals  who  wear  old 

jackets,  old  pullovers,  and  like  them  when  they  are  used  and  not  when  they  are  new,  they  felt  a 

certain  affinity  to  my  fashion,  and  I  felt  one  to  them. 

IS:  Were  there  photographs  that  you  saw  that  reinforced  your  vision,  like  the  famous  photographs 

of  Picasso  in  his  striped  T-shirts? 

GA:  You  mean  from  the  end  of  the  1930s?  They  were  the  finest  years  in  fashion.  Very  inventive. 

Very  revolutionary.  Not  bourgeois.  Yes.  what  one  can  see  in  photographs  of,  say.  Dali  or  Picasso 

from  that  time  is  the  sort  of  atmosphere  and  class  that  I  wanted  to  have  in  fashion.  I  tried  to  use 

that  kind  of  idea  and  modernize  it.  There  were  also  photographs  of  the  young  Gary  Cooper  that 

affected  me.  That  was  the  style  that  I  found  very  sexy— very  strong,  not  stiff,  not  too  constraining. 

relaxed.  The  suit  does  not  cover  the  body,  but  instead  puts  it  in  evidence.  But  I  have  to  say  that  an 

interest  in  these  kinds  of  mixtures  have  also  belonged  to  other  designers.  I'm  thinking  of  [Yves] 

Saint  Laurent  first.  [Gabrielle  "Coco"]  Chanel,  and  even  [Jean  Paul]  Gaultier. 

IS:  Absolutely.  What's  interesting  is  how  you  all  ended  up  with  such  different  results.  You've  all 

come  at  it  so  differently. 

GA:  I've  always  tried  to  make  clothes  that  are  without  references.  That  has  sometimes  been  my 

problem  with  the  fashion  press.  There  haven't  been  easy  references  to  explain  what  I've  done. 

IS:  But  there  are  a  few  people  who  you've  said  did,  in  fact,  directly  inspire  you— like  Matisse. 

GA:  How  can  you  remain  indifferent  when  you  see  a  composition  of  colors  in  a  painting  by  Matisse? 

You  cannot  remain  unaffected  by  the  way  he  paints  a  window,  an  interior  in  Nice,  the  street.  There 

is  such  harmony,  such  invention  and  lightness  in  his  work;  this  is  what  I  like  most,  the  philosophical 

simplicity.  The  simple  flower  becomes  something  unforgettable.  I  like  Matisse's  late  works  less. 

I  find  them  more  difficult  to  understand,  and  less  poetic.  But  Matisse's  work  has  given  me  a  lot. 

It  gave  me  the  chance  to  use  color  in  a  very  important  way  early  on.  Early  Picasso  has  also  been 

important  to  me:  the  purity  of  his  drawings,  their  clarity,  their  spirit,  and  their  modernity. 

IS:  How  about  Picasso  as  a  figure? 

GA:  At  times  I  find  the  myth  a  little  embarrassing,  a  little  heavy,  overly  self-important. 

IS:  While  we  are  on  the  subject,  are  there  any  other  artists  whose  work  has  been  important  to  you? 


GA:  Giorgio  Morandi. 

IS:  Of  course. 

GA:  Morandi  has  a  color  palette  very  similar  to  mine.  Three  beiges,  four  grays.  In  his  work,  a  slight 

variation  makes  all  the  difference. 

IS:  You've  just  touched  on  something  that  leads  to  the  crux  of  what  your  work  seems  to  be  aiming 

for:  Since  establishing  your  vocabulary,  you've  always  talked  about  a  consistent  vision.  Doesn't  your 

approach  make  it  difficult  for  you  in  fashion,  which  seems  to  feed  off  changes  and  trends  so  much? 

You  are  going  for  the  subtle  Morandi  approach,  whereas  fashion  thrives  on  the  idea  of  the  new,  even 

if  it's  old. 

GA:  In  the  world  of  fashion,  if  you  don't  follow  the  trends  the  press  can  ignore  you.  You  are 

supposed  to  be  yourself,  yet  at  the  same  time  follow  the  trends. 

IS:  How  have  you  responded  to  this  issue? 

GA:  By  getting  mad.  (Laughs.)  Fashion  is  made  up  of  excesses,  peaks,  exaggeration,  fanaticism. 

I'm  against  fanaticism.  In  the  end  I  think  the  most  difficult  thing  to  do  is  the  simplest  thing.  Fashion 

has  to  change.  It  has  changed  over  the  past  fifty  years,  but  it  has  to  change  more.  I  think  people 

must  not  bow  to  dictates  by  those  who  deal  with  fashion  in  the  broadest  sense  of  the  word. 

Specifying  that  skirts  must  be  to  the  knee  one  season  and  shorter  the  next  should  end.  I  challenge 

that  way  of  thinking.  The  fact  that  a  woman  looks  good  in  one  style  doesn't  necessarily  mean  she 

feels  comfortable  in  another.  People  must  not  be  the  victims  of  input  given  by  a  group  of  people  who 

decide  what  fashion  is  and  what  it  isn't.  It  should  be  remembered  that  certain  principles  of  elegance 

that  were  accepted  thirty  years  ago  are  now  obsolete.  The  mentality  today  is  different. 

IS:  Tell  me  your  philosophy  about  getting  dressed  up. 

GA:  Years  ago.  getting  dressed  up  meant  following  certain  rules  that  are  very  different  today.  It 

represented  a  special  social  coding,  reflecting  certain  social  classes.  Today,  there  is  more  freedom 

from  a  visual  point  of  view,  and  differences  are  masked.  I  pay  more  attention  to  the  cut  of  an  outfit 

and  the  quality  of  the  material  than  to  an  overall  head-to-toe  look.  A  few  years  ago,  elegance  meant 

"super  minimalism,"  but  today  I  think  elegance  refers  to  something  that  is  informal,  relaxed,  casual, 

and  without  excess.  Dressing  up  is  less  about  fur  and  pinstripes  and  more  about  the  "Jackie  0" 

black  T-shirt  and  white  chinos.  Most  importantly,  it  is  a  mentality  that  gives  great  value  to  simplicity. 

IS:  It  seems  like  you've  created  the  clothes  for  more  movies  than  any  other  designer,  which  must  be 

gratifying  since  you've  had  a  love  of  movies  since  you  were  a  child.  How  are  your  designs  for  movies 

connected  to  your  other  work? 

GA:  I  am  not  a  costume  designer,  so  when  I  work  on  film  projects,  it  is  always  directly  related  to  my 

fashion.  I  have  been  lucky  to  have  collaborated  on  so  many  films,  such  as  American  Gigolo  [Paul 

Schrader,  1980],  The  Untouchables  [Brian  De  Palma.  1987],  Stealing  Beauty  [Bernardo  Bertolucci, 

1996],  and  the  upcoming  Bounce  [Don  Roos,  2000]. 

IS:  What  do  you  think  when  you  watch  something  like  the  Oscars? 

GA:  It  is  a  very  interesting  phenomenon  when  designers  and  stylists  try  to  dress  actors  and 

actresses.  Unfortunately,  there  are  too  many  people— stylists,  hairdressers,  friends— who  push 

the  stars  to  choose  retro  outfits,  rather  than  concentrating  on  what  really  suits  them— often  with 

disastrous  results.  I  am  lucky  to  have  long-standing  relationships  with  actors  and  actresses.  If 

they  attend  the  Oscars  and  decide  to  wear  Armani,  it  is  because  they  like  Armani  and  feel  good 

wearing  it. 

IS:  Do  you  think  there's  a  place  for  fantasy  in  fashion? 

GA:  Absolutely,  a  very  big  place!  There  is  a  strong  need  to  innovate  and  personalize  like  never 

before.  This  sometimes  means  that  you  don't  follow  the  trends  for  a  season  with  the  possibility 

of  being  ignored  by  certain  fashion  magazines.  But  it's  necessary  if  you  want  to  break  away 

from  cliches. 


IS:  It  could  be  said  that  the  contemporary  fashion  mentality  would  not  be  what  it  is  if  it  hadn't  been 
for  what  you  have  done  in  men's  and  women's  fashion. 

GA:  To  me,  you  shouldn't  wear  anything  that  defines  you  in  a  way  that  does  not  match  your 
personality.  It  has  to  do  with  attitude,  with  the  freedom  to  adapt  what  you  are  wearing  to  your  needs. 
It's  not  about  wearing  something  that  looks  like  it  doesn't  belong  to  you,  either  psychologically 
or  physically. 

IS:  Did  your  sister  have  a  lot  to  do  with  how  you  came  to  understand  what  women  wanted? 
GA:  I  have  great  respect  for  women;  I  don't  use  women  for  personal  amusement.  In  the  1960s 
Rosanna  was  something  of  a  slave  to  fashion.  Then  I  think  she  was  embarrassed  by  this,  as  she 
had  started  to  understand  what  her  own  style  was.  I  love  the  way  she  dresses.  She  wears 
anonymous  shirts  and  trousers,  and  she  has  an  important  face.  The  less  fashion  she  wears,  the 
more  beautiful  she  is.  She  is  very  much  like  my  mother.  I  dress  like  that,  too.  It  is  like  a  uniform. 
This  is  something  I've  always  used  for  both  men  and  women. 
IS:  But  uniforms  can  feel  authoritarian. 

GA:  No,  I'm  talking  about  something  personal,  not  authoritarian — something  that  has  no  useless 
details,  a  nice  cut,  a  nice  shape,  something  that  adheres  to  the  body. 

IS:  The  inevitable  question  to  a  designer  is:  How  have  other  cultures  influenced  you  in  your  work? 
It  is  always  a  tricky  one  because  fashion's  take  in  this  regard  can  be  very  superficial,  the  same  way 
it  can  get  when  it  uses  art  for  inspiration — it  can  be  vampiric  and  touristy. 
GA:  You  are  right.  It  is  easy  to  fall  back  on  the  theatrical  and  do  costumes.  But  I  must  say  that 
the  East  has  had  a  definite  influence  on  me,  with  its  rational  style  of  dress;  a  small  jacket  with 
a  mandarin  collar  is  the  utmost  in  elegance  and  comfort.  In  all  my  collections  there  is  definitely 
a  touch  of  the  East — always. 

IS:  I  know  you  travel,  but  it  also  feels  to  me  that  when  you  touch  on  a  theme,  it  can  come  as  much 
from  a  photograph  or  from  your  imagination  as  from  an  actual  journey. 

GA:  You  have  to  use  a  theme  to  match  it  to  your  style  and  not  vice  versa.  For  example,  I  once  did 
a  Cuban  collection,  although  I  had  never  been  to  Cuba.  I  had  seen  a  portrait  of  Diego  Rivera,  and 
this  led  to  the  collection.  It  was  a  collection  that  I  dreamed  up. 
IS:  Give  me  another  example  of  how  you  work. 

GA:  One  summer  I  had  bought  a  necklace  for  my  sister  as  a  present,  an  archeological  necklace  that 
I  had  gotten  from  an  antiques  dealer.  I  was  holding  it  in  my  hand.  I  could  imagine  a  woman  in  the 
1930s— the  wife,  say.  of  an  archeologist  who  followed  her  husband  in  his  work— and  how  she  would 
dress.  This  led  to  an  entire  collection.  It  was  based  on  this  woman  from  the  1930s,  brought  up-to- 
date.  Often  my  collections  spring  from  an  idea  of  this  type,  not  from  having  researched  a  period  of 
fashion.  When  I  was  young,  I  once  created  an  eveningwear  collection  with  a  lot  of  embroidery. 
I  wanted  it  to  give  the  impression  of  a  woman  who,  at  the  end  of  a  long  evening,  returns  home  along 
the  seashore  and  holds  her  skirt  and  her  shoes  up  so  that  they  don't  get  wet.  That  was  the 
atmosphere  of  that  collection;  I  wanted  a  relaxed  look. 

IS:  Tell  me  about  the  recent  collection  that  invoked  the  work  of  Vasily  Kandinsky. 
GA:  I've  always  liked  his  graphic  work.  It  wasn't  a  literal  imitation  of  Kandinsky,  but  rather  I  wanted 
the  clothes  to  have  the  same  explosive  energy  that  his  work  has. 

IS:  That  energy  is  a  good  metaphor  for  what  you've  done  with  your  business.  But  there  was  a 
moment,  when  your  partner.  Galeotti.  died  in  1985.  when  people  assumed  you  were  going  to  stop. 
Was  there  ever  in  your  mind  a  question  of  stopping? 

GA:  It  certainly  was  a  moment  of  great  despair  and  anguish.  I  had  no  other  choice  but  to  go  ahead 
and  bank  on  my  confidence.  I  made  decisions  carefully,  learning  from  my  mistakes  as  I  went  along. 
It  wasn't  easy  then,  nor  is  It  easier  now.  But  I'm  glad  I  was  able  to  tackle  it.  The  bus.ness  was  bu.lt 
up  by  me  and  by  Sergio  in  a  very  emotional  way.  This  is  work  that  gives  you  no  way  out.  no  time  to 


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breathe.  It's  a  job  that  doesn't  let  you  sleep,  or  really  take  a  holiday,  because  your  mind  is  always 

focused  on  it.  It  is  a  very  difficult  job,  but  enjoyable.  We  didn't  do  it  out  of  a  desire  for  wealth  or 

fame.  He'd  always  believed  in  my  strengths,  and  I  didn't  want  to  disappoint  him.  Therefore  there 

was  a  great  desire  to  make  it.  I  wanted  to  show  that  his  confidence  in  my  work  was  fully  justified. 

I  kept  going  for  the  same  reason. 

IS:  You  ended  up  not  just  continuing  the  company,  but  also  taking  on  what  he  had  been  in  charge 

of  as  well.  Didn't  you  have  obstacles  when  you  also  took  charge  of  the  business  side? 

GA:  It  was  another  challenge.  Some  said  a  designer  cannot  be  a  businessman  too. 

IS:  Well,  you've  made  mincemeat  out  of  that  cliche  about  creative  types  and  business  being  oil 

and  water. 

GA:  It  was  very  difficult,  though.  I  didn't  really  know  my  firm.  I  had  left  a  lot  of  the  responsibility  to 

Sergio.  He  had  many  direct  outside  contacts  and  I  had  less.  A  lot  of  people  said.  "Ah,  when  Galeotti 

was  here  we  did  it  this  way."  Therefore  I  had  to  get  to  know  my  firm,  my  people.  I  have  to  say  that 

I've  had  some  great  coworkers,  people  who  have  helped  me,  although  in  the  end  the  decisions  are 

mine.  My  work  is  highly  diversified,  and  I  never  work  alone.  I  work  with  other  people  and  I  like  the 

discussions  of:  Do  you  like  this?  Do  you  think  this?  Then  I  decide.  I  like  to  work  this  way.  It  keeps 

me  alive,  in  constant  tension. 

IS:  One  of  the  most  interesting  collaborations  between  art  and  fashion  that  I  have  seen  was  the 

one  you  did  with  Robert  Wilson  in  Florence  in  June  1996.  [GA  Story,  performed  in  the  Leopolda, 

a  renovated  nineteenth-century  train  station.]  One  of  the  tableaux  in  particular  that  the  two  of  you 

came  up  with— the  office  tableau— always  sticks  in  my  mind.  It  was  so  riveting— the  mix  of  style, 

lifestyle,  and  technology.  It  felt  so  prescient.  Why  do  you  think  it  is  interesting  for  designers  to  work 

with  other  kinds  of  artists9 

GA:  I  think  that  working  only  in  your  own  field  can  make  you  lose  some  objectivity.  A  person  who 

is  outside  your  world  can  offer  great  insight.  Bob  Wilson's  point  of  view  on  some  of  the  clothing  for 

that  Florence  show  was  essential  to  the  outcome  of  the  presentation. 

IS:  Over  the  years,  you  have  also  overseen  your  own  advertising. 

GA:  Yes,  with  Rosanna  handling  it  for  a  long  time.  Again  the  philosophy  is  to  be  at  the  service  of 

the  public.  The  public  is  represented  by  consumers,  who  mustn't  be  taken  for  a  ride.  It  must  be 

a  sincere  and  direct  relationship:  "I'll  make  these  clothes  for  you,  I'll  show  them  to  you  in  the  best 

possible  way,  in  the  atmosphere  I  consider  appropriate,  and,  if  you  like  them,  go  buy  them."  I  think 

that  often  designers  think  they  have  to  do  certain  things  because  they  see  general  tendencies,  but 

great  equilibrium  and  great  self-control  are  required. 

IS:  So,  when  you  oversee  an  ad  for  a  new  women's  perfume,  say,  what  is  in  your  mind  in  terms 

of  creating  a  world  for  people  to  live  in? 

GA:  The  advertising  has  to  show  that  I  don't  like  women  who,  when  they  go  into  a  lift,  leave 

a  tremendous  waft  of  perfume  in  their  wake. 

IS:  (Laughs.)  You  are  known  for  being  unswerving  in  your  beliefs  about  what's  right  for  Armani — 

even  when  everyone  around  you  is  pressuring  you  to  do  something  else.  Because  you  work  in  fashion, 

I'm  sure  there  are  people  saying:  "Giorgio,  you  have  to  be  up  to  date,  or  Giorgio,  this  is  the  trend." 

GA:  In  my  opinion  it's  a  question  of  great  personal  discipline:  to  have  the  strength  to  react  to  what 

comes  at  you  from  the  outside.  At  times  I  wonder  if  I'm  right  to  say  no.  Do  I  really  have  to  say  no 

to  everyone?  Sometimes  you  cannot  express  why  it's  a  no.  It  has  to  do  with  something  very  personal 

in  your  mind,  in  your  feelings  and  emotions.  But  sometimes  you  can  say  yes.  In  the  end,  you  know 

what  you  wanted  to  do,  in  the  months  when  you  produced  those  drawings,  those  clothes,  and  you 

have  to  know  this  right  up  to  the  end. 


Translated  from  the  Italian  by  Roberta  Armani. 


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19    I 

pages  4  and  5: 

1.  Giorgio  Armani 

2.  Giorgio  Armani  with  his  mother, 
Maria.  1957 

3.  Giorgio  Armani  with  his  mother, 
Maria,  and  brother.  Sergio 

4      Piazza  de'Cavalh.  Piacenza,  1963 

5.  Giorgio  Armani's  parents,  Maria  and  Ugo 
Armani,  with  Giorgio"s  sister,  Rosanna 

6.  Giorgio  Armani  dressed  for  his  first 
communion.  1942 

7.  Giorgio  Armani  with  friends  and  family 
at  Laghi  d'Avio  (Term),  1949 

8.  Giorgio  Armani  with  his  mother,  sister, 
and  brother 

9.  Giorgio  Armani  with  his  sister 

10.  Giorgio  Armani  with  friends  on  vacation 

11.  Giorgio  Armani  during  his  military  service 

12.  Giorgio  Armani  with  his  mother  and 
brother,  1951 

13.  Giorgio  Armani  with  his  sister  and  brother 

14.  Ugo  Armani 

15.  Giorgio  Armani  with  his  brother  and  a 
friend.  1941 

16.  Giorgio  Armani  with  his  mother  in  Rimini 

17.  Maria  Armani 

18.  Giorgio  Armani 

19.  Giorgio  Armani  (left)  with  (clockwise 
from  top)  his  brother-in-law,  sister, 
brother,  and  mother 


20 

21 

31 

32 

33 

23 

24 

25 

i 

35 

26 

27 

36 
39 

37 

40 

28 

29 

30 

41 

42 

43 

44 

pages  10  and  11: 

20.  Giorgio  Armani  with  model.  1979 

21.  Giorgio  Armani  with  models,  1994 

22.  Rosanna  Armani  in  an  advertisement 
for  the  Spring/Summer  1979  collection 

23.  Giorgio  Armani  directing  a  runway 
show.  1987 

24.  Giorgio  Armani  cutting  a  bolt  of  fabric 

25.  Giorgio  Morandi.  Bottles  and  Fruit 
Bowl,  1916   Gianni  Mattioli  Collection 
(on  long-term  loan  to  the  Peggy 
Guggenheim  Collection,  Venice) 

26.  Giorgio  Armani  and  Sergio  Galeotti 

27.  Giorgio  Armani  in  his  office  at  the 
Palazzo  Durmi,  Milan,  1979 

28.  Giorgio  Armani  at  a  runway  show, 
ca.  1978-80 

29.  Henri  Matisse.  Gafe  of  the  Casbah. 
1912.  Pushkin  Museum  of  Fine  Arts, 
Moscow 

30.  Giorgio  Armani  sketching,  1979 

31.  Giorgio  Armani  in  his  office  at  the 
Palazzo  Durmi.  Milan,  1978 

32.  Henri  Matisse,  Vase  of  Flowers,  n.d. 
The  Hermitage.  St.  Petersburg 

33.  Giorgio  Armani 

34.  Sergio  Galeotti.  1982 

35.  Giorgio  Armani's  office  at  Via 
Borgonuovo  21.  Milan,  ca    1983-84 

36.  Giorgio  Armani  with  assistants.  1967 

37  Giorgio  Armani,  1982 

38  Via  Borgonuovo  11,  Milan.  Giorgio 
Armani's  present  headquarters 

39.  The  Palazzo  Durmi,  Milan,  Giorgio 
Armani's  headquarters  from  1977-82 

40.  Via  Borgonuovo  11,  Milan 

41.  Giorgio  Armani  styling  a  boutique 
window,  London,  1989 

42.  Giorgio  Armani  with  model,  1978 

43  Giorgio  Armani  at  a  runway  show, 
ca.  1978-80 

44  Giorgio  Armani,  1988 


45 

46 

56 

57    | 

4H 

49 

58 

•■' 

60 

a 

51 

52 

61 

53 

54 

55 

62 

' 

64 

pages  16  and  17: 

45   Giorgio  Armani  with  his  mother,  sister, 

nieces  Roberta  and  Silvana,  and 

nephew  Andrea,  1997 

46.  Giorgio  Armani  in  Pantelleria 

47.  Galleria  Vittorio  Emanuelle,  Milan 

48.  Giorgio  Armani  in  Pantelleria.  1993 

49.  Giorgio  Armani  in  Pantelleria 

50.  Giorgio  Armani  in  Kenya.  1989 

51.  Giorgio  Armani  in  Morocco,  1991 

52.  Giorgio  Armani  driving  his  VW  Beetle 

53.  Milan  cathedral 

54.  Giorgio  Armani  with  his  mother.  1994 

55.  Giorgio  Armani  in  Morocco,  1991 

56.  Maria  and  Roberta  Armani 

57.  Giorgio  Armani  with  Eric  Clapton 
in  Pantelleria 

58.  Giorgio  Armani  in  Pantelleria.  1994 

59.  Giorgio  Armani  at  his  country  home 
in  Broni 

60.  Giorgio  Armani  with  his  nephew  Andrea 
and  Leo  dell'Orco 

61.  Giorgio  Armani 

62.  Giorgio  Armani  with  Lauren  Hutton  in 
Pantelleria.  ca.  1992 

63.  Giorgio  Armani  in  Saint-Tropez 

64.  Giorgio  Armani  in  Tunisia.  1993 


MILAN  IN  THE  1970S  AND  1980S 


20 


Natalia  Aspesi 


For  Giorgio  Armani,  one  jacket  was  all  it  took  to  initiate  his  triumphant  career  and  to  change  both  the 
streetscape  and  the  history  of  fashion.  Certainly  it  was  a  special  jacket,  something  new,  which 
miraculously  illustrated  the  needs  and  not  merely  the  aesthetic  of  the  moment.  It  was  created  to  fit 
the  restlessness  and  new  authority  of  women,  and  to  offer  men  the  impetus  to  liberate  themselves 
from  the  uncomfortable  armor  they  had  been  using  to  protect  their  dignity  and  insecurities.  These 
were  the  1970s,  dark  years  for  Italy,  above  all  for  Milan,  a  city  that  was  attempting  to  become  the 
capital  of  high-style  ready-to-wear,  but  was  also,  at  that  moment,  the  epicenter  of  the  most  tragic 
forms  of  social  and  political  struggle. 

Fragile  commercial  figures  like  fashion  designers  seemed  anachronistic,  out  of  place. 
This  was  a  period  when  the  country  was  being  torn  apart  and  the  state  structures  were  implicated, 
and  precarious  center-left  governments,  always  led  by  the  Christian  Democrats,  followed  incessantly, 
one  after  another  (eight  governments  from  1975  to  1980).  Nothing  was  less  current,  less 
interesting,  less  important  than  fashion.  Women  who  had  discovered  the  advantages  of  ready-to-wear 
slipped  quietly  into  the  boutiques  of  Yves  Saint  Laurent,  the  favorite  of  the  well-heeled  bourgeoisie, 
which  was  still  hesitant  about  Italian  taste.  But  remembering  the  rotten  eggs  that  protestors  had 
hurled  at  their  dazzling  ensembles  at  the  historic  opening  of  La  Scala  in  1968,  they  camouflaged 
themselves  on  the  street,  disguised  by  unremarkable  and  irreproachable  garments.  Young  women 
who  dreamed  of  freedom  through  feminism  and  other  political  movements  had  rejected  respectable 
pleated  skirts  and  cardigans  and  were  only  buying  stiff  Afghan  sheepskin  jackets  and  mismatched, 
dyed  garments  from  India.  For  the  sake  of  the  revolution,  they  even  would  have  renounced  being 
pretty,  but  not  the  very  young  Miuccia  Prada,  who  distributed  leaflets  for  the  Communist  Party 
dressed  in  French  haute  couture.  Prada  exhibited  exemplary  courage,  since  well-dressed  young 
women  were  considered  fascists  and  were  accordingly  isolated  and  sometimes  subjected  to  insults 
and  shoves. 


Student  demonstrations.  Milan,  1968 


Student  demonstrations,  Milan,  1968 


It  was  with  a  certain  hesitancy  and  anxiety  that  Armani  embarked  on  a  risky  enterprise  in 
1975— the  first  collection  bearing  his  name.  He  had  rented  two  spaces  in  a  building  in  the  center  of 
Milan,  for  one-and-one-half  million  lire  a  year.  Behind  closed  doors,  he  worked  with  a  marking  pen  and 
quantities  of  fabric,  pursuing  his  still  vague  idea  about  clothing  and  thinking  about  the  capital  he 
would  need  to  raise.  He  worked  with  two  others:  his  dynamic  and  ambitious  younger  associate  and 
companion,  Sergio  Galeotti,  who  had  come  from  the  architecture  world  and  given  him  the  courage  to 
strive;  and  the  mythical  Irene,  Armani's  sole  employee/factotum,  to  whom  he  had  given  permission 
to  study  during  work  hours  because  there  was  no  certainty  their  small  enterprise  would  have  a  future. 
Armani  was  developing  his  style,  aloof  and  silent,  outside  the  fashion  of  the  moment.  But  he  also 
remained  detached  from  the  enraged  city,  where  the  streets  were  thronged  with  marching  protesters, 
facing  off  against  police  poised  for  war  amid  tear  gas  and  shouted  slogans,  while  students  were 
occupying  the  universities  and  throwing  out  the  professors  and  trade-union  representatives.  At  that 
same  time,  the  angriest  broke  away  from  the  increasingly  radicalized  extremist  groups,  on  both  the 
right  and  left,  and  went  underground,  opting  for  terrorism.  The  streets  of  Milan  were  bloodied  with  the 
dead,  victims  of  political  ferocity.  (In  Rome,  in  1978.  the  Red  Brigades  kidnapped  and  assassinated 
Aldo  Moro,  head  of  the  Christian  Democrats.) 

This  was  the  climate  in  which  Armani  brought  his  first  women's  collection  to  the  runway,  in  a 
space  at  the  Hotel  Palace.  According  to  Armani.  "Maybe  it  was  no  big  deal,  but  in  the  end  Galeotti  put 
on  a  record,  at  random,  one  that  was  very  popular  at  that  time  by  lnt,lll.mani.  The  twelve  models 
came  out  together  on  the  runway  and  began  moving  to  the  lively  beat  of  the  mus.c,  and,  incredulous, 
we  heard  applause."  It  was  the  applause  of  journalists,  urged  on  by  Count  Franco  Savorelli.  who  was 
lending  a  hand  to  his  friend  Armani.  Having  agreed  to  give  up  some  of  their  precious  time  for  the 
umpteenth  new  des.gner,  the  fashion  press  was  dumbstruck  by  what  it  saw.  Were  these  creations- 
simple    light  garments,  below-the-knee  hemlines,  soft  trousers,  jackets  l.ke  shirts,  without 


Fall/Winter  1977-78 


Spring/Summer  1979 


ornamentation,  impudence,  or  extravagance— beautiful  or  ugly?  These  clothes  were  simply  different, 
outside  the  realm  of  Parisian  high-fashion,  which  still  dominated  both  women's  dreams  and  the 
market,  and  also  outside  the  Italian  fashion  industry  designed  by  big  French  names,  foremost  among 
them  Karl  Lagerfeld,  then  Christiane  Bailly  and  Emmanuelle  Khan.  Among  the  Italians  there  were 
designers  like  Kino  Bert  and  Alberto  Lattuada,  or  Qurino  Conti  and  Walter  Albini,  who  had  established 
his  label  in  1973.  It  was  a  magical  moment.  Not  only  would  Armani  become  a  wealthy  and  established 
star,  the  king  of  made-in-ltaly,  within  a  few  seasons  and  appear,  seven  years  later,  in  April  1982,  on 
the  cover  of  Time,  but  without  calculation,  through  pure  instinct  or  perhaps  a  stroke  of  luck,  he  had 
understood  his  time  while  removing  himself  from  its  chaos  and  uncertainty.  There  was  already  a 
desire  for  change  in  the  air.  a  longing  for  security  and  a  future,  and  he  was  preparing  that  future's 
shapes  and  colors.  Did  this  young  man,  reserved  and  still  insecure,  who  had  grown  up  in  the 
provinces,  in  Piacenza,  an  ancient,  agricultural  city  in  Emilia,  really  have  ideas  that  were  so  far- 
sighted?  "It  wasn't  as  if  I  had  a  burning  passion,  and  I  had  never  thought  about  getting  involved  with 
fashion.  Other  designers  recall  how  they  grew  up  amid  the  perfumed  mysteries  of  their  mother's 
closets,  or  how  they  began  making  clothes  for  their  younger  sisters'  dolls.  I  have  no  memories  of  this 
sort.  It  is  true  the  body  fascinated  me,  and  this  was  why  I  had  decided  to  study  medicine.  I  ended  up 
in  fashion  by  accident,  but  those  were  special  times,  occasions  presented  themselves  unexpectedly, 
often,  and  people  pursued  paths  without  really  understanding  if  they  were  on  the  right  track."  At  most, 
Armani  recalls,  even  as  an  adolescent,  without  realizing  it,  he  felt  dissatisfied  with  things  that 
seemed  aesthetically  displeasing. 

When  Armani  began  working  with  the  male  clothing  buyers  at  La  Rinascente,  the  largest 
Italian  department  store  at  the  time,  the  wholesalers  were  never  able  to  provide  what  he  thought 
should  be  obvious:  black  turtleneck  sweaters,  American-style  shirts,  jackets  that  didn't  simply  cover 
but  rather  adorned.  And  so  Armani  began  to  be  involved  with  the  body,  no  longer  as  a  would-be  doctor, 


but  as  a  future  engineer  of  elegance  and  behavior.  Nino  Cerruti,  a  businessman  of  great  talent  and 
foresight  known  for  his  men's  fabrics  and  clothing  (he  didn't  open  a  women's  clothing  boutique  in 
Paris  until  1976),  discovered  him  there.  Cerruti  was  surrounded  by  traditional  clothing  buyers,  who 
hadn't  realized  that  the  world  was  changing,  along  with  the  way  that  men  wanted  to  present 
themselves.  Cerruti  introduced  the  young  Armani  as  his  "stylist."  a  fairly  new  word  in  the  fashion 
world,  and  Armani  in  turn  began  to  fall  in  love  with  that  world  of  fabrics  and  industrial  production. 
While  putting  his  faith  in  large-scale  production  and  the  demands  of  machinery,  he  rediscovered  the 
value  of  the  beautiful,  well-made,  elegant  garment.  He  worked  with  Cerruti  for  eight  years,  and  it  was 
only  during  this  period  of  discovery  and  development  of  his  vocation  that  his  personal  talent  began  to 
flower.  Even  before  leaving  the  company  that  had  discovered  him,  Armani,  as  was  the  custom  then, 
had  also  begun  working  anonymously  for  other  ready-to-wear  Italian  labels,  including  those  producing 
women's  fashions,  such  as  Sicons,  Ginocchietti,  and  Gibo. 

In  this  regard,  he  was  following  in  the  footsteps  of  other  designers  who  would  go  on  to 
achieve  fame,  from  Gianfranco  Ferre  to  Gianni  Versace.  Beginning  in  1967,  after  the  usual  and 
typically  Italian  quarrels,  couture  and  ready-to-wear  finally  split  definitively.  Roberto  Capucci,  Valentino 
Schoen,  and  the  other  great  Italian  couturiers  held  their  fashion  shows  in  Rome.  Krizia.  Missoni.  and 
many  other  new  firms  held  their  shows  in  Florence,  in  the  famous  White  Room  of  the  Pitti  Palace. 
These  were  professional  shows,  without  pageantry,  with  twenty  houses  presenting  some  twenty 
models  each,  all  together.  In  an  hour  and  a  half.  But  in  that  crowd  of  models,  the  sharp  eyes  of  the 
press  and  the  American  buyers  had  already  noticed  the  originality  of  certain  jackets,  the  surprising 
grace  of  certain  men's  fabrics  used  for  women's  clothing.  Armani  says.  "I  had  my  clothes  tailor-made. 
It  seemed  indispensable  to  have  them  made  to  order,  not  out  of  snobbery,  but  because  those  mass- 
produced  fashions  made  me  feel  old,  shapeless,  without  glamour,  and  I  wondered  why  they  had  to  be 
so  heavy,  so  awkward,  like  prisons  that  completely  hid  the  body.  At  that  time,  fabric  and  lining  were 
joined  together  with  glue,  which  made  the  form  rigid.  I  began  to  take  everything  away,  padding, 
interfacing,  linings,  to  look  for  fabrics  that  were  classic  in  appearance  but  light,  like  those  used  in 
women's  fashions.  As  far  as  possible,  bearing  in  mind  production  costs,  I  wanted  to  apply  the  secrets 
of  couture  to  ready-to-wear  fashion.  To  emphasize  the  shoulders  in  jackets,  but  then  let  the  rest 
undulate,  adapt  to  the  body,  freed  from  all  constraints.  For  the  first  time  a  creased,  deconstructed 
garment  became  elegant."  Men,  used  to  the  perpetual  uniform  of  decorum  and  power,  clearly  were 
wary  of  this  new  image.  It  was  enticing  and  comfortable,  but  seemed  less  protective  of  their  mask  of 
virility.  Meanwhile,  the  powerless  young  in  Italy,  marching  through  the  streets  in  protest,  were  dressed 
in  the  most  disheveled  way  possible.  They  would  never  have  dreamed  of  wearing  a  classic  jacket, 
symbol  of  the  despised  bourgeoisie  and  their  detested  conservatism.  But  in  1980  a  film,  more 
beautiful  than  others  at  the  time,  appeared  in  Italian  enemas-Paul  Schrader's  American  Gigolo. 
Those  magnificent  suits,  perfectly  cut  to  R.chard  Gere's  young,  rippling  body,  his  costly,  high-society 
gigolo  wardrobe,  full  of  gray  suits,  light-colored  shirts,  hundreds  of  ties,  became  the  symbol  of  a  new 
and  unscrupulous  urban  elegance.  Armani  had  designed  them,  and  without  doubt  he  helped  turn  Gere 
into  a  cult  figure,  someone  with  whom  everyone,  male  and  female,  quickly  fell  in  love,  because  of  the 
melancholy  seductiveness  of  his  predatory  character. 

Armani's  fashion  immediately  moved  out  of  the  Milan  ghetto,  away  from  Italian  concerns,  and 
spread  beyond,  to  Europe  and,  above  all.  to  the  United  States.  To  say  that  a  cult  began  to  form  would 
only  be  a  small  exaggerate.  This  was  prior  to  the  1980s,  when  not  only  Armani,  but  everything 
Kalian  was  proclaimed  triumphant  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic.  The  press,  particularly  the  fore.gn 
press  crowned  Armani  king,  blithely  enthusing.  "In  Italy  they  have  the  Pope  and  Armani."  Others  went 
on  "Arman,  has  done  for  fash-on  what  Picasso  did  for  painting.  He  has  emancipated  it,  revolutionized 
it  "  When,  with  great  reluctance  and  after  sleepless  nights,  the  Cerrut,  executive  who  had  dreamed  of 
neither  fame  nor  wealth  left  his  job.  along  with  a  salary  he  considered  enormous,  some  $40,000 


Spring/Summer  1976 


Fall/Winter  1977-78 


Fall/Winter  1978-79 


year,  he  and  Galeotti  needed  $10,000  in  capital  to  get  started.  Just  one  year  later,  they  were  able  to 
rent  part  of  the  Palazzo  Caproni,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  baroque  dwellings  in  the  city,  decorated 
with  magnificent  seventeenth-century  frescoes.  All  timidity  and  fear  had  vanished,  and  he  immediately 
furnished  the  gilded  and  voluted  large  rooms  with  ultramodern  tables,  sofas,  and  lamps  of  his  own 
design.  In  1976  the  company's  total  sales  already  reached  $90,000;  in  1981  sales  in  the  United 
States  were  $14  million,  while  total  sales  were  $135  million,  more  than  double  the  previous  year. 

To  understand  just  how  revolutionary  Armani's  fashion  really  was,  how  quickly  it  took  over  the 
world,  first  one  needs  to  project  oneself  back  to  those  revolutionary  times  in  Italy.  For  example,  it  is 
important  to  remember  that,  during  that  crucial  decade  for  Italian  society,  the  intellectual  bourgeoisie, 
looking  down  from  on  high  and  fueled  by  its  cultural  curiosity  and  financial  advantages,  was  able  to 
take  an  interest  in  the  passage  of  fashion  from  couture  to  ready-to-wear  and  to  adopt  its  variety, 
sense  of  fantasy,  and  freedom.  But  it  was  too  deeply  engaged  in  the  political  events  of  the  country  to 
look  at  this  futile  subject.  The  intellectual  bourgeoisie  sided  with  the  young,  signed  petitions, 
participated  in  demonstrations,  demanded  the  truth  about  mysterious  deaths,  victims  of  the  police.  In 
a  word,  they  were  aligned  with  the  left,  often  outside  the  Communist  Party,  which  had  come  to  be 
considered  too  cautious  and  too  caught  up  with  the  Christian  Democrats,  whose  goal  was  anything  but 
revolutionary.  Within  this  passionate  and  enflamed  climate,  what  room  was  there  for  fashion. 
despised  for  its  frivolity  and  disengagement  from  reality?  There  was  a  unisex  uniform  for 
demonstrations:  baggy  pants  and  jackets,  big  shoes,  camouflage  colors,  a  scarf  around  the  face,  for 
concealment  and  for  protection  against  tear  gas.  and  at  most  an  Indian  shawl,  jingling  with  mirrors, 
for  her,  or  a  Palestinian  scarf,  for  him.  These  were  spare,  rebellious  emblems,  statements  against 
waste  and  chic,  against  the  sins  of  traditionalism  and  luxury,  then  considered  tremendously  right 
wing,  reactionary,  guilty.  And  yet  during  the  1970s  Italian  fashion  was  making  an  almost  clandestine 
statement,  detached  from  the  disorder  of  the  country  and  invisible  in  the  streets.  It  could  be  seen 


behind  the  closed  doors  of  important  fashion  houses,  or  on  display  during  visits  to  Paris  or  New  York 
or  on  holidays  to  places  of  indestructible  worldliness,  such  as  Capri  or  Saint  Moritz.  Other  European 
countries  were  thrilled  about  it,  even  France,  from  a  commercial  point  of  view,  though  not  in  terms  of 
information.  (For  years,  no  French  journalist  had  come  to  Rome,  Florence,  or  Milan  to  follow  the 
fashion  shows.)  The  reception  was  especially  enthusiastic  in  the  United  States,  which  began  to  set 
aside  sections  for  expensive  Italian  fashion  in  its  most  elegant  large  stores.  There  was  the  luxury  of 
designers  like  Valentino,  coming  from  the  world  of  couture,  the  youthful  grace  of  Krizia,  the  opulent 
practicality  of  Missoni.  the  early  impudence  of  Versace,  the  urbane  early  statements  of  Ferre.  Italian 
ready-to-wear  was  well  made,  with  beautiful  fabrics,  and  still  wavered  between  the  rules  of  classical 
elegance  and  hippie  romanticism. 

We  don't  know  whether  Armani  nurtured  women's  penchant  for  androgynous  jackets  without 
ornamentation,  men's  trousers,  soft  but  severe-looking  fabrics,  and  flat  shoes  because,  after  years 
of  working  in  men's  fashion,  that  was  what  he  knew  how  to  do  best — or  whether  it  was  because  he 
had  truly  understood  that  women  were  changing  and  wanted  to  find  for  themselves  a  different  way 
of  being  feminine  and  seductive,  a  new  image  that  would  adapt,  unambiguously,  to  their  new  needs 
and  ever-stronger  expectations,  to  the  idea  of  achieving  autonomy  and  social  position,  and  that 
would  also  free  them  from  their  too-exhibited,  overemphasized  body,  from  the  entire  stage  set  of 
women's  traditional  clothing.  In  the  United  States,  the  period  of  marches  and  protests  began  to 
wane  with  the  end  of  the  Vietnam  War  in  1975.  In  Italy,  the  social  and  political  disorder  continued 
into  the  1980s,  but  political  passions,  with  the  onset  of  terrorism,  dissipated  into  fear,  delusion, 
and  clear  popular  rejection.  It  was  an  unexpected  and  rapid  change,  with  a  sudden,  if  watered- 
down,  revival  of  la  dolce  vita,  and  the  dreams  and  needs  of  the  masses  became  something  else, 
channeled  toward  consumption,  wealth,  light-heartedness.  and  a  return  to  luxury  without  guilt.  In 
Italy.  Armani  immediately  brought  an  image  of  decorum  and  intelligence  to  this  new  social  and 
individual  passage.  His  work  was  not  offensive  or  transgressive.  nor  was  it  ever  opulent  or  vulgar. 
He  offered  a  cosmopolitan  elegance  that  ushered  the  country  out  of  its  recent  dark  ages  and 
repositioned  it  in  the  world. 

Translated  from  the  Italian  by  Marguerite  Shore. 


THE      ARMANI      ARMY 


Marshall  Blonsky 

with  the  collaboration  of  Edmundo  Desnoes 


Disemboweling  the  Jacket 

Toward  the  beginning  of  Made  in  Milan,  Martin  Scorsese's  1990  filmic  homage  to  Giorgio  Armani,  the 
designer  is  in  his  studio  taking  a  scissors  to  the  lining  of  a  man's  suit  jacket  opened  before  him. 
Cutting  the  bottom  threads  that  bind  inner  to  outer  layer,  Armani  abruptly  throws  down  the  scissors 
and.  grabbing  the  lining  with  his  right  hand,  rips  it  up  and  away  from  the  jacket — stopping  at  the 
shoulder  to  reach  his  hand  deep  into  the  sleeve.  He  yanks  out  the  padding  like  so  many  entrails  from 
a  butchered  beast.  And  there  it  is,  disgorged— big,  white,  shapeless,  ugly — to  be  thrown  on  the  rug. 
The  mildly  startling  moment,  soundless  save  for  the  rip  of  the  severed  threads,  condenses  everything 
that  can  be  said  about  Armani's  attitude  toward  conventional  structure,  toward  the  rigid,  the  formal, 
the  traditional. 

Liberated  from  its  unnecessary  viscera,  the  beige  skin  is  held  aloft — Armani  bringing  it, 
presenting  it  to  his  Apollonian  model  (it  could  equally  have  been  a  Modigliani  woman,  so  even-handed 
has  Armani  been  in  his  gifts  to  the  sexes),  who  deftly  inserts  his  arms  into  it  and,  with  a  faint  shiver 
of  his  tall  torso,  lets  it  fall  from  his  shoulders.  Armani  rescues  and  transforms  a  traditional  garment. 
Now  it  is  an  Armani. 

"I  created  all  my  work  around  the  jacket.  It  was  my  point  of  departure  for  everything,"  Armani 
explains  to  Scorsese.1  "I  had  to  defy  convention  to  do  this.  But  not  by  losing  sight  of  all  that's  good  in 
the  past.  I  had  to  find  a  new  way  of  inventing  and  thinking  about  clothing  for  a  new  era.  It's  a  less 
formal  time  but  it  still  requires  its  own  style.  I  tried  new  techniques.  Then  I  altered  the  way  jackets 
were  buttoned  and  radically  modified  the  proportions.  What  used  to  be  considered  a  defect  became 
the  basis  for  a  new  shape,  a  new  jacket" — a  wide  shoulder,  an  elongated  lapel,  an  unheard-of 
dolcezza,  the  sweetness  of  casualness,  a  plenitude  of  drapery. 

Armani  likes  to  say  that  modern  clothes  are  a  language,  an  expression  of  our  individuality. 
And  the  whole  world  knows  today  that  your  individuality  doesn't  issue  principally  from  your  gender — 


Spring/Summer  1989 


boys  to  that  showroom,  girls  to  that.  Today  the  world  knows  it,  but  it  was  Armani  in  the  late  1970s 
who  astonished  women  by  making  for  them  blazers  and  jackets  that  looked  and  felt  and  moved  exactly 
as  did  those  he  made  for  men— softly  armoring  women's  bodies  in  the  identical  way  he  was  dressing 
men.  This  is  why  Armani  says  of  the  new  individualism,  which  he  helped  form:  "This  is  a  shared 
victory  for  men  and  women.  So  much  that  now  if  a  man  won't  go  without  a  jacket,  neither  will  a 
woman."  A  gift  to  efflorescent  feminism  from  a  man  who  in  the  1960s  had  designed  Nino  Cerruti's 
menswear  and  who  later  designed  uniforms  for  a  male  institution,  the  Italian  Air  Force. 

I  said  earlier  that  Armani's  model  let  the  jacket  fall  from  his  tall  shoulders,  but  glide,  even 
float  are  perhaps  better  words  for  the  effect.  For  the  sports  coat  (that  is  what  it  is  now!)  appears  so 
labile  and  light,  silken  and  shimmering,  it  is  as  if  it  were  a  thing  alive,  delicate  and  exploring  the 
space  around  the  model. 

"You  see,  it  falls  naturally  on  the  body,"  Armani  is  telling  me  at  almost  the  exact  middle  of  his 
career,  in  June  1987.  We  are  in  his  office  in  Milan,  and  he  is  sketching  at  his  marble  desk— atop  it  a 
delicate  lamp  illuminating  his  tanned  face  capped  by  pure  white  hair.  (It's  impossible  to  dye  hair  that 
color.)  In  a  stroke  of  colored  pencil  on  a  piece  of  paper  that  I  regret  not  taking  home,  he  draws  almost 
as  a  caress  the  sloping  shoulder  that  would  be  his  signature  for  fall/winter  1988-89  and  into  the 
1990s.  "Le  mot  que  je  cherche,  c'esf  .  .  .  collant.'1  He  is  speaking  French,  more  to  himself  than  to 
me.  "The  jacket  should  be  running  down  the  body  without  sticking  to  it,  a  second  skin." 

Do  not  underestimate  this  emphasis  on  something  so  seemingly  humble  as  a  jacket.  Ripping 
the  lining  as  well  as  the  padding  from  that  beige  jacket  only  appears  excessive  (for  Armani  doesn't 
intend  you,  except  on  occasion,  to  wear  jackets  without  lining).  The  ripping  was  a  figural  act. 
a  metaphor:  Armani  was  doing  violence  to.  reconstructing  tradition.  For  the  modern  jacket  is  not 
humble  at  all:  it  is  the  invention  of  the  industrial-revolutionary  patriarchy,  part  of  a  tradition  that 
allowed  the  nineteenth-century  bourgeois  to  enhance  his  upper  body  with  a  heavy,  structured,  tight 


suit  jacket— before  adding  the  last  element,  the  tie,  which  forced  him  to  button  up  at  the  neck  to  the 
point  of  strangulation.  This  completed  the  carapace.  And  the  sign.  The  suit  of  many  of  our  fathers 
through  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  this  carapace  signified:  "This  breast,  this  brawn  does  not 
labor.  It  displays  and  commands.  Look  upward  at  my  mind,  which  alone  earns  my  salary  and  rules 
those  who  toil  with  their  bodies." 

The  Eco  in  Armani 

To  understand  that  Armani  makes  signs  out  of  clothes,  it  helps  to  remember  a  defining  moment  in  the 
career  of  Umberto  Eco.  As  Germano  Celant  recalls:  "Eco  was  from  the  beginning  in  this  core  of 
intellectuals,  Gruppo  63,  whose  semiologic  approach  completely  changed  the  history  of  design  and 
architecture.  Whatever  had  been  considered  arte  minore,  minor  arts,  design,  architecture,  fashion, 
everything  changed  after  Umberto.  Naturally,  after  Roland  Barthes,  too.  It  is  not  by  accident  that 
Armani  came  along  in  the  seventies.  I  knew  the  owner  of  Armani — he  came  up  through  a  background 
of  reading  Umberto.  Armani  perfectly  understands  that  clothing  is  semiotic.  Attention  to  the  meaning, 
to  the  language  of  fashion,  this  is  the  meaning  of  the  boom  called  'Made  in  Italy.'"2 

A  sign,  the  semiologists  said,  was  a  bit  of  an  image  instantly  recognizable;  a  sign  was  what 
slapped  you  in  the  face  by  its  difference  from  what  came  before  it.  And  with  Armani,  every 
vestimentary  "bit"  is  differentiated.  No  obvious  browns  but  instead  loamy  mushrooms;  shortened 
collars  and  cuffs;  volumetrics  where  before  was  pres-du-corps  parsimony.  One  could  go  on.  But  let 
Armani  explain  difference  through  color:  "I  am  known  as  the  stylist  without  color,  the  inventor  of 
'greige,'  a  cross  between  gray  and  beige.  I  love  these  neutral  tones.  They  are  calm,  serene.  They 
provide  a  background  upon  which  anyone  can  express  him  or  herself." 

Him  or  herself — not  androgyny.  "I've  always  had  a  rather  carefree,  easy-going  woman  in  mind, 
but  not  one  who's  brazenly  so,"  Armani  says.  "A  woman  who  wants  to  dress,  but  not  overstate  who 
she  is,  or  what  part  she  plays  in  the  world.  A  woman  above  all,  and  at  all  costs.  A  woman  who  knows 
how  to  live  alongside  a  man  with  the  sense  of  equality  she  deserves."3 

Armani  is  a  child  of  the  semiotic,  the  deconstructive  1970s — and  he  has  made  millions  of 
people  worldwide  understand  clothes  as  a  coded  system  of  signs.  "Clothes  today  are  a  language," 
Armani  says.  "We  use  them  to  communicate  when  we  work  and  when  we  play."  Sign  consciousness 
informs  his  personality.  His  success  is  based  in  part  on  understanding  the  need  to  use  instantly 
identifiable,  differential  images,  something  much  more  precise  than  simple  branding. 

You  can  test  his  use  of  difference  by  the  way  your  own  hand  moves  toward  his  clothes  on 
a  rack.  If  the  lining  is  not  sewn — or  worse,  fused — to  the  fabric  at  every  possible  point  (remember  the 
disemboweling?),  you  can  hold  a  big  piece  away  from  the  jacket  without  hurting  it;  you  have  revealed 
the  suppleness  of  the  garment.  You  can  even  crush  folds  of  the  fabric  in  your  fist  and,  letting  go,  see 
the  cloth  spring  back  unrumpled;  or  if  rumpled,  all  the  better.  Rumpling  conduces,  seduces, 
introduces  you  to  the  casually  elegant  slouch  Armani  prefers  in  women  as  in  men.  Try  it  on  now:  the 
Armani  jacket  cannot  plummet  from  the  shoulders;  it  makes  it  hard  for  you,  man  or  woman,  to  play 
the  rigid  authoritarian  patriarch.  The  jacket  wafts,  makes  its  moves  with  yours.  It  doubles  your  body 
with  a  textihan  other.  And  everybody  knows  that  a  Father  is  one  and  the  same,  not  two  (I  and  the 
other),  as  Armani  has  now  made  possible.  That  is  another  of  Armani's  gifts  to  the  genders:  he  was  in 
the  avant-garde  of  the  attack  on  gender  rigidity. 

The  Fabric  of  Our  Lives 

Because  of  his  jackets'  lissome  nature.  Armani  can  radically  enlarge  his  repertoire  of  fabrics,  adding 
the  soft  materials — like  crepes  and  knits  and  leno  weaves — previously  rejected  as  too  fragile. 
Armani's  workshop  revels  in  the  versatility  of  fabrics. 

The  very  word  fabric  comes  from  the  Latin  fabrica,  workshop,  and  Armani  insists  on  his 


Fall/Winter  1988-89 


Spring/Summer  2000 


artisanal  formation.  "I've  always  put  a  lot  of  energy  into  choosing  my  fabrics.  Maybe  because  fabric 
was  my  introduction  to  fashion.  In  fact,  in  the  sixties  I  worked  in  a  textile  factory  so  I  could  really 
learn  about  fabrics.  I  remember  enormous  rooms  full  of  looms  that  never  stopped  working,  and  noise, 
and  people  who  seemed  deaf.  Though  they  were  talking  they  didn't  seem  to  hear  each  other.  It  was 
very  hard  work  and  I  never  thought  I'd  fall  in  love  with  it.  Then  little  by  little  it  became  a  passion." 

From  the  minute  you're  in  love  with  fabric,  you're  passionate  about  texture  and  its 
implications.  "I  want  to  eliminate  the  jacket's  being  a  formal  feature,"  he  told  the  author  in  Milan, 
dressed  in  a  blue  T-shirt  and  black  pants.  "I  want  to  render  it  very  casual,  very  true,  like  a  pull"—  the 
French  way  to  say  pullover.  A  pull  is  a  knitted  thing:  you  can  see  the  knit  and  the  perl  of  its  yarn,  the 
very  structure  of  the  fabric.  And  suddenly  we  realize  that  from  the  very  beginning  Armani  has  made 
what  the  ancient  rhetoric  called  the  impossibilia:  a  deep  surface,  a  profound  surface  for  all  his 
clothing.  It  has  become  a  surface  that  can  change,  be  seen  through,  both  protect  and  reveal. 


This  Is  Not  a  Tie 

I  have  on  my  desk  as  I  write  a  tie  that  I  wore  last  n.ght.  It  is  a  five-year-old,  heavy,  olive  silk  whose 
"striping"  is  not  colored  at  all,  but  is  rather  ribbing,  threads  that  have  been  made  to  surge  from  the 
surface,  sometimes  the  thread  becoming  not  a  thread  at  all.  but  a  fold.  It  is  as  if  you  were  looking  at 
a  dried-up  river,  the  ridges  of  its  bed  now  visible.  An  ancient  Green  Sea.  It  makes  you  look  In.  Even 
the  surface  fabric  of  a  tie  has  depth  in  Armani. 

Imagine  a  woman  at  a  cocktail  party  wearing  Armani's  metallic  velvet  beaded  pants 
(fall/winter  2000-01)-but  they  are  not  beaded,  they  are  composed  of  shiny  black  threads  woven 
through  the  velvet,  giving  a  wet  look.  The  woman  explains,  leaning  against  a  bookcase,  that  her 
garment  has  no  weight:  it  is  In  the  world  of  gravitas  and  not,  at  the  same  time.  Over  these  trousers, 
she  is  wearing  Armani's  new  one-button  paillette  jacket.  "Such  an  incredible  lightness  of  being."  she 


murmurs.  In  every  item  with  Armani's  name  on  it,  down  to  the  lowliest  tie,  there  is  something  to  be 
found  inside — dedans,  dentro,  as  he  might  say. 

The  Depth  of  Surface 

None  of  this  is  a  matter  of  an  Armani  unconscious  or  subconscious.  Made  in  Milan  opens  with 
a  panorama  of  the  cathedrals,  the  spires,  the  statues  on  spires,  the  putti,  the  palazzi,  the  colonnades 
of  Milan  as  Armani,  in  voiceover.  speaks  of  first  coming  to  the  metropolis  "from  a  provincial  city  at 
a  very  vulnerable  time  in  my  youth  to  make  my  first  real  friends  and  meet  my  first  responsibilities." 
He  was  alienated  from  the  city:  "Milan  seemed  very  cold  and  big  at  first,  then  suddenly  it  was 
welcoming,  rich  in  unexpected  beauty  to  discover  day  by  day.  The  old  buildings  here  are  not  imposing 
and  opulent  like  the  ones  in  Rome.  But  they  have  a  discreet  elegance  that  almost  whispers.  Milan  is 
not  a  city  on  the  grand  scale  like  Paris  or  London.  But  if  you  go  beyond  the  narrow  streets  and  past 
the  house  facades"— we  are  walking  along  with  the  camera  of  Nestor  Almendros  through  an  arch 
under  a  lantern  into  a  courtyard — "you  discover  fantastic  interiors.  The  small  intricate  gardens  and 
intimate,  refined  settings  are  reminiscent  of  something  exclusive  and  private,  something  from  the 
past."  You  discover — and  what  you  discover  are  marvelous  interiors — not  unlike  when  you  watch 
models  wearing  Armani  on  a  runway. 

Encountering  this  exhibition — walking  the  Guggenheim's  ramps  like  a  model  before  a  static 
audience  of  clothes — the  viewer  will  perhaps  viscerally  grasp  Armani's  quarter-century-old  intuition: 
that  our  fast-flowing  times,  where  everything  has  to  communicate  instantly  and  move  on,  have 
banished  depth.  Depth  is  a  category  that  pretends  to  penetrate  surface  and  find  gravity,  passions, 
history,  conflict,  soul,  origins,  hidden  motives,  density,  evil,  sin,  and  abysmal  precipices.  Surface  is 
about  choice,  speed,  the  visual,  well-being,  and  fun;  it  is  irreversible,  aleatory,  euphoric,  flighty,  cool, 
rootless,  comfortable,  detachable,  changeable,  and  ahistorical. 

First  impressions  are  decisive.  You're  hired,  you  buy  or  throw  away,  you  love  or  reject  on  the 
power  of  first  impressions.  Today  we  respect  only  the  instantaneous  and  can  therefore  root  in  nothing. 
Entertainment  is  the  name  of  the  game,  whether  you  are  acting  onstage  or  on  the  runway  of  the 
world's  streets,  or  running  for  office.  Or  commuting,  looking  out  the  train  window  while  listening  to 
your  Walkman  or  talking  on  your  cell  phone  as  you  contemplate  your  laptop  with  your  drink  on  the 
latest  issue  of  Vogue.  You  could  even  be  in  a  jet  watching  a  film  in  which  Richard  Gere,  Kevin  Costner, 
or  Robert  De  Niro  is  wearing  Armani.  Armani  has  broken  down  the  separation  between  fantasy  and 
reality,  between  celebrity  and  your  everyday  life.  If  you  can't  buy  black  label  Armani,  you  can  go  to  an 
A/X,  or  buy  a  rip-off,  or  even  interpret  his  own  dressing  philosophy.  Armani  has  become  trickle-down 
fashion.  He  is  everywhere. 

"Armani  effervesces  in  this  country  in  1982  with  the  April  Time  magazine  cover  story."  Bruce 
Wolmer.  editor-in-chief  of  Art  &  Auction  magazine,  recalled  in  a  seminar  this  past  spring.  "For  my 
generation,  for  the  generation  of  '68.  all  of  a  sudden  Armani  comes  along  and  marks  a  break.  He 
marks  a  change  of  sensibility,  challenges  a  kind  of  antifashion  sensibility  which  had  been  prevalent 
throughout  the  seventies.  All  of  a  sudden  Armani  comes  along  and  makes  it  possible  for  people 
interested  in  style  in  our  generation  to  accept  Armani  in  the  way  that  you  couldn't  accept  anyone  else. 
I  still  have  in  the  back  of  my  closet  my  first  blue-striped  Armani  suit.  Wearing  it  was  a  radical 
departure  from  everything  that  was— even  though  the  phrase  didn't  exist  then— politically  correct  and 
sartorially  correct.  Armani  marked  the  return  of  style  and  the  return  of  luxury.  For  a  lot  of  people  of 
my  generation  Armani  was  the  first  designer  we  felt  comfortable  with."  Armani  inaugurated  a  new  view 
of  fashion,  a  new  set  of  signs  for  both  men  and  women.  You  are  your  appearance;  reality  is  a  matter 
of  perception,  not  authority. 

Surface  appears  individuated  by  apparel.  The  nude  is  not  important,  the  clothes  are.  Before 
the  1970s,  everybody  wanted  to  undress  reality,  find  the  naked  truth,  the  body  behind  the  trimmings. 


Giorgio  Armani,  collection  show.  Fall/Winter  1999-2000 


what  lay  behind  Salome's  seventh  veil.  Apparently  very  little.  "The  human  body  is  not  very  attractive 
compared,  for  example,  to  a  cheetah — that's  why  we  have  fashion,"  the  late  Alexander  Liberman, 
Conde  Nast  editorial  director,  once  said.4  Our  forefathers  and  mothers  concentrated  on  undressing 
the  other.  We  value  dressing  up. 

When  Lord  Caversham  in  Oscar  Wilde's  An  Ideal  Husband  (1895)  accuses  his  son,  Lord 
Goring,  of  being  superficial  and  leading  an  idle  life,  Mabel  Chiltern  responds:  "How  can  you  say  such 
a  thing?  Why.  he  rides  in  the  Row  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  goes  to  the  Opera  three  times  a 
week,  changes  his  clothes  at  least  five  times  a  day.  and  dines  out  every  night  of  the  season.  You 
don't  call  that  leading  an  idle  life,  do  you?"  Wilde,  the  forerunner  of  the  philosophy  of  surface,  makes 
Lord  Goring  the  very  opposite,  let  us  say.  of  the  monk  who  never  changes  clothes,  never  eats  out,  and 
meditates  in  a  cell.  The  power  of  surface— which  Wilde  understood— is  not  removed  from  what  Armani 
supplies  for  dressing  our  age. 

In  the  Beginning  .  .  . 

There  is  a  poignant  moment  in  Made  in  Milan  when  Armani  is  talking  of  his  mother  and  father. 
(I  suppose  everything  you  say  about  your  father  and  mother  is  poignant.)  "I  have  many  memories  of 
my  past,  and  my  childhood.  They  have  definitely  influenced  my  work.  I  remember  my  mother's  and 
father's  elegance."  On-screen  is  an  album  containing  photos  of  his  father  at  home,  in  tie  and  thinly 
rimmed  eyeglasses,  reading  the  paper;  of  his  mother  walking  in  the  countryside  in  an  ankle-length 
black  dress,  little  Giorgio  in  white  shorts  right  behind  her.  "A  simple  elegance.  It  was  mostly  an  inner 
elegance  since  we  didn't  have  a  lot  of  money.  I  remember  that  my  mother  made  my  clothes.  She 
made  clothes  for  all  her  children.  And  we  were  the  envy  of  all  our  classmates.  We  looked  rich  even 
though  we  were  poor."  And  Armani  on-screen  slowly  turns  his  head  down,  perhaps  in  shame,  for  even 
the  remembrance  of  poverty  brings  shame. 


But  the  very  next  words  are:  "I've  always  thought  a  lot  about  the  images  and  aura  of  the  past, 
my  own  past,  my  family's  past,  and  the  past  of  the  cinema,  which  was  the  only  entertainment  we  had 
when  we  were  kids."  The  images  he  remembers  from  his  childhood  fuse  with  the  images  he  saw 
on-screen.  As  a  child,  Armani  discovered  the  power  of  the  image,  appearance,  and  the  preeminence  of 
perception.  Images — electronically  reproduced  and  easy  to  understand — pervade  what  we  know  and 
how  we  project  ourselves  upon  the  world.  What  we  see  is  the  basic  source  of  our  sense  of  reality. 
"All  men  [and  women]  by  nature  desire  to  know,"  wrote  Aristotle,  "and  an  indication  of  this  is  the 
delight  we  take  in  our  senses;  for  even  apart  from  their  usefulness  they  are  loved  for  themselves;  and 
above  all  others  the  sense  of  sight."  Sight  sustains  and  perpetuates  the  image,  which,  like  surface, 
has  been  traditionally  considered  superficial — a  product  of  the  intellectual  and  moral  elites,  who  for 
centuries  maintained  power  by  controlling  content  and  moral  meaning.  "Only  a  fool,"  as  Wilde  wrote, 
"wouldn't  judge  by  appearances."  The  power  of  image  is  another  of  Armani's  intuitions  of  the  world 
we  live  in. 

"I  don't  own  what  you  might  call  a  designer  wardrobe."  Maybe  these  are  the  most  astonishing 
words  Armani  has  ever  uttered.  He  does  not  costume  himself.  "I  have  bluejackets,  blue  pullovers, 
and  gray  pants.  In  my  mind  it's  like  a  uniform."  He  uniforms  himself.  "You  have  to  know  yourself  and 
your  own  body  and  your  personality  to  know  how  to  dress.  Maybe  it's  because  I  dress  for  work  that 
I  can't  dress  any  other  way."  In  short,  he  doesn't  need  to  be  the  imaged,  the  fashionable  man,  he 
doesn't  need  to  costume  himself.  But  we  do.  To  what  end? 

Armani's  arrogant  humbleness  exists  to  highlight  the  rich  mystery  of  his  clothes.  His 
simplicity  reveals  the  many  faces  of  his  fashion  signs.  He  is  the  unmovable  mover,  the  demiurge  of 
his  creations.  Armani  is  one  and  his  manifestations  are  many. 

Here  he  is  orienting  Laura  and  Susan,  two  models,  as  he  prepares  for  a  runway  show.  "Try 
walking,  Laura,  like  a  woman  who  moves  down  the  street  feeling  the  sensation  of  being  in  the  center 
of  the  world."  That,  Marx  wrote,  is  what  it  would  be  like  not  to  be  alienated.  "Go  .  .  .  yeah,  yeah, 
without  rigidity  .  .  .  slowly  Laura,  even  when  you  turn,  do  it  gently.  Now  stop,  as  if  you  were  window 
shopping,  not  as  if  you  were  on  a  runway.  Okay,  now  with  Susan.  Watch  Laura,  do  the  same  thing. 
Molto  gracilita,  relax  Susan,  don't  be  so  rigid,  put  your  hands  in  your  pockets  if  you  want,  si."  He 
shows  the  way  of  the  modern  flaneur.  "Be  a  bit  ironic.  Smile.  Smile  at  yourself,  at  your  youth,  at  your 
clothes.  Vai — go."  And  Susan  ambles,  all  passion  at  rest. 

This  is  what  you  need  Armani's  clothes  for:  to  feel  as  though  you  were  inhabiting,  for  a  time, 
the  calm  center  of  things.  What  did  Armani  accomplish  with  his  work  in  the  last  thirty  years  of  the 
twentieth  century?  He  made  a  soft  army,  a  corps  that,  so  far  from  being  destructive,  creates 
personality,  protects  you  against  failure,  against  maybe  the  biggest  failure  the  late  twentieth  and  early 
twenty-first  centuries  know— disappearing  into  the  background.  You  can't  disappear  in  his  clothes, 
because  they  are  subtle  costume.  Communication,  as  he  says.  Signs.  Your  moment  in  the  light  and  in 
the  shadow  under  the  sheltering  sky. 

Notes 

1.  This  and  all  unidentified  quotes  that  follow  are  from  Made  in  Milan. 

2.  Quoted  in  Marshall  Blonsky,  American  Mythologies  (New  York:  Oxford  University  Press.  1992),  p.  389. 

3.  Quoted  in  Anna  Piaggi,  "Armanology,"  in  Armani  (Milan:  Franco  Maria  Ricci.  1982).  p.  212. 

4.  Quoted  in  Blonsky,  p.  17. 


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ARMANI      AND      HOLLYWOOD 
by  Hamish  Bowles 

"Life  is  the  movie,  and  my  clothes  are  the  costumes."  says  Giorgio  Armani  in  Made  in  Milan.  But  if 
Armani's  great  contribution  to  fashion  history  has  been  to  liberate  classic  clothing  components,  to 
relax  and  soften  and  to  bring  a  sense  of  real-life  sportswear  comfort  to  a  couture  approach,  still  the 
roots  of  his  aesthetic  seem  to  lie  in  the  flickering  magic  of  the  silver  screen.  Even  Armani's  runway 
presentations  are  evocative  of  a  visit  to  an  old-fashioned  cinema  palace.  The  audience  assembles  in 
the  subterranean  theater  of  the  designer's  Milanese  palazzo,  ranked  on  tiers  of  black  seats.  The 
arrival  of  the  big  screen  luminaries— of  Sophia  Loren,  or  Claudia  Cardinale.  or  Gwyneth  Paltrow— 
signals  that  the  screening  is  about  to  begin.  Abruptly,  the  house  lights  go  down,  plunging  the 
audience  into  darkness  for  a  moment.  And  then,  misty  screens  begin  to  light  up.  Only  here,  the 
screens  are  a  trail  of  translucent  light  boxes  that  form  the  runway's  path. 

Armani's  use  of  color  in  his  fashion  shows  is  equally  cinematic.  Against  his  favored  neutral 
palette,  his  sparing  bursts  of  vivid  color  hit  with  the  impact  of  Dorothy's  descent  from  Kansas  (where 
everything  is  reassuringly  black-and-white)  into  the  Technicolor  playground  of  Oz.  Or  of  MGM  designer 
Adrian's  fashion-show  sequence  in  George  Cukor's  1939  film  The  Women,  another  firework  display 
igniting  the  monochrome  antics  of  its  larger-than-life  stars. 

And  the  clothes,  too,  hint  at  the  glory  years  of  the  Hollywood  studios.  Armani's  signature 
androgynous  suits,  with  their  insouciant  built-in  slouch,  evoke  the  mannish  off-screen  wardrobes  of 
sirens  like  Marlene  Dietrich  and  Greta  Garbo.  Even  when  he  indulges  his  most  elaborate  evening 
fantasies,  there  is  a  subtlety  of  coloration  and  decoration  that  suggests  a  George  Hurrell  portrait  or  a 
glamour  goddess  lighting  up  the  darkness  of  the  movie  house.  All  is  shimmering  suggestion,  like  the 
opalescent  lighting  that  Josef  von  Sternberg  contrived  to  deify  Dietrich's  screen  appearances. 

Armani's  intimate  involvement  with  present-day  Hollywood  seems  therefore  an  inevitable  one. 
This  relationship  had  its  genesis  in  the  wardrobe  he  created  for  Richard  Gere  in  Paul  Schrader's  1980 
film  American  Gigolo.  Here,  the  character's  clothing— an  essential  tool  of  his  trade,  and  a  token  of  his 
success— had  a  screen  presence  almost  as  potent  as  the  actor  in  his  breakthrough  role.  His 
costuming  for  the  movie  established  Armani  as  the  industry's  menswear  designer  of  choice.  In  the 
decade  to  follow,  many  of  Hollywood's  preeminent  actresses  made  their  own  playful  sartorial 
decisions  when  establishing  what  to  wear  to  high-profile  industry  events  like  the  Academy  Awards 
ceremonies.  They  were  rewarded  with  eviscerating  criticism  from  the  fashion  and  entertainment 
press.  Armani  stepped  in  to  woo  them  with  his  uncontroversial  elegance  and  low-key  glamour  that 
hinted  at  the  poised  style  of  those  luminous  stars  who  had  once  been  dressed  and  groomed  by  their 
studios  for  such  public  appearances.  By  1992,  columnist  Liz  Smith  was  asking,  "Could  the  Oscars 
exist  without  Giorgio  Armani?"1  and  Women's  Wear  Daily  could  write  of  "the  Armanization  of  the 
Academy  Awards,"  suggesting  that,  "no  one  can  criticize  you  if  you're  wearing  an  understatedly 
elegant  Giorgio  Armani  .  .  .  making  all  that  glitter  and  bunting  seem  extraneous."2 

Armani  has  developed  symbiotic  relationships  with  today's  stars.  "My  rapport  with  Hollywood 
is  not  a  one-night-a-year  proposition,"  he  told  the  Los  Angeles  Times  in  1995. 3  Indeed,  it  suggests 
rather  his  lifelong  fascination  with  the  movies,  and  has  been  an  essential  element  in  Hollywood's 
current  romancing  of  the  fashion  world. 

Notes 

1.  Quoted  in  'Designers:  Endangered  or  Extinct?,"  Women's  Wear  Daily.  April  7,  1992.  p.  1. 

2.  Merle  Ginsberg.  -The  Scoop  on  the  Oscars."  Women's  Wear  Daily.  March  17.  1992.  p.  4. 
Ricky  Martin                                                                     3        Judith  Michaelson,  'And  the  Designer  Is  .  .  .."  Los  Angeles  Times.  March  26.  1995.  p.  28. 


HMy  style  is  Armani.  No  one  (nowhere  at  all  in  the  world)  ever  asks 
me,  "What  are  you  wearing?"  It  is  always  and  only  Armani.  I  like  the 
simplicity,  the  refinement,  I  recognize  myself  totally  in  his  modern 
essential  and  minimal  line,  I  like  the  lightness  of  his  fabrics,  which  follow  the 
body's  line  without  ever  encumbering  it.  My  movements  are  free,  and  in 
harmony  with  my  life  as  an  active,  free,  and  contemporary  woman. 

Claudia  Cardinale,  Actress 


In  my  opinion  fashion  is  deeper  than  the  way  it  appears  in  the 
fashion  defiles  [runway  shows].  I  think  fashion  is  the  summary  of  a 
few  basic  elements,  which,  following  the  natural  laws  of  good  taste, 

never  change.  The  fashion  world,  in  recent  years,  has  looked  like  a  mad 

carousel  of  shocking  images  that  mainly  propose  how  to  strip  rather  than 

dress  the  human  body. 

Entering  into  Armani's  world  is  like  landing  into  the  peaceful  eye  of  a 

typhoon,  into  the  perfect  calm,  into  a  style  that  cannot  be  shaken  by  the 

winds  of  sensationalism. 

His  line  has  a  soul  that  can 't  be  defined:  you  say  "how  beautiful, " 

and  that's  all.  An  Armani  dress  doesn't  give  you  doubt  or  uncertainty.  It's  an 

Armani  and  that's  all  you  need. 

Sophia  Loren,  Actress 


37 


The  Armani  tuxedo  has  long  been  the  epitome  of  taste,  class,  and 
success.  After  winning  an  Oscar  while  wearing  mine,  I  can  now  say 
Armani  also  signifies  luck  and  good  fortune.  I  am  totally  devoted. 

Matt  Damon,  Actor 


[5  /  suppose  I  wear  Armani  because  it  suits  who  I  am,  someone  who 
cares  for  comfort,  fit,  and  subtle  fabrics.  I  don't  need  to  be  the 
flashiest  person  in  the  room,  just  the  most  confident 

Jodie  Foster,  Actress,  Director,  Producer 


39 


•••••••••• 


*••••••••- 


|TH   When  you  wear  an  Armani  gown,  you  can  be  sure  of  two  things: 
*  ^i  all-out  glamour  and  comfort.  When  you  think  of  being  in  Armani, 
lUKI  you  always  know  you  will  not  be  pinched,  corseted,  or  bound.  One 
only  feels  beautiful  and  comfortable,  as  if  in  a  pair  of  favorite  jeans. 

I  remember  buying  my  first  Armani  suit,  establishing  a  long 
relationship  with  Mr.  Armani.  Such  beautiful  tailoring,  such  fine  fabrics. 
But  Mr.  Armani's  gowns  have  always  held  a  soft  spot  in  my  heart.  I  have 
been  lucky  enough  to  wear  quite  a  few,  including  a  blue  beaded  one  I  wore  to 
the  Academy  Awards.  I  hardly  felt  "dressed  up"  because  I  was  so  at  ease  in 
the  gown,  but  it  gave  me  an  undeniable  feeling  of  glamour.  The  fabric  and 
beading  reminded  me  of  a  star-filled  night  under  the  skies  of  one  of  our 
California  deserts,  a  magical-looking  piece.  I  could  still  wear  it  today  and  feel 
very  modern.  That  is  the  essence  of  Armani. 

Rita  Wilson,  Actress 


Top  row:  Jul. a  Roberts,  Liam  Neeson,  Jessica  Tandy.  Lucrezia  Lante  della  Rovere.  Robin  Williams;  second  row;  Winona  Ryder.  Marghenta  Buy.  Freddie 
Prinze.  Jr.,  Jenna  Elfman.  Clint  Eastwood;  third  row:  David  E.  Kelly.  Martin  Scorsese.  Arnold  Schwarzenegger  and  Maria  Schnver.  Mel  Gibson.  Debbie 
Mazar;  fourth  row:  Warren  Beatty,  Faye  Dunaway,  Eleonora  Giorgi,  Luca  Barbareschi.  Phil  Collins;  bottom  row:  Lilly  Gruber.  T,m  Robbins.  Claire  Forlani, 
Tina  Turner,  Gary  Sinise. 


42 


The  enormous  contribution  Armani  has  made  to  my  life  has  been  to 
give  me  the  freedom  from  having  to  make  a  decision.  Any  othei 
clothes  feel  foreign  to  me.  It  goes  without  saying  that  his  impact  anc 
influence  on  the  way  we  dress  have  been  revolutionary. 

Lee  Radziwill,  Socialite 


In  the  early  '80s,  I  was  perusing  Giorgio' 's  first  boutique  in  Milan 
wearing  one  of  his  competitor's  sweaters.  It  was  a  multicolored 
bulky  knit  piece.  Giorgio  looked  at  me  in  the  sweater  and  said,  "No! 
No!  No!  It  must  be  longer!  It  must  be  fuller! "  And  as  he  was  saying  that,  he 
grabbed  the  waist  and  pulled  it  down,  stretching  it  to  my  knees.  He  stood 
back,  eyeing  the  piece,  and  continued,  "Ah  ha!  Now  it  is  better. "  From  that  * 
moment  on,  Giorgio  Armani  became  the  only  person  I  trusted  when  it  came 
to  getting  dressed  up.  From  my  very  first  tan  linen  jacket  to  my  classic 
navy-blue  wool  crepe  suits,  he  has  made  me  one  of  the  best-dressed  men 

in  the  world. 

Pat  Riley,  NBA  Coach 


I  When  I  first  met  Giorgio  Armani  in  1979,  he  made  me  the  best 
dressed  American  there  was.  Today,  he's  made  everybody  around  the 


world  the  best-dressed  person  they  can  be,  and  we  all  love  him  for  it. 
Thank  you,  Giorgio. 

John  Travolta,  Actot 


Nothing  gives  a  short-waisted  woman  a  fabulous  silhouette  like  an 
Armani  suit  or  jacket.  My  first  recollection  of  Armani  was  in  1984, 
when  I  found  THE  MOST  gorgeous  long,  black,  men's  winter  coat. 
I  look  good  in  men 's  clothes-l  look  phenomenal  in  Armani .  .  .  who  knew? 
And  even  though  we  are  oceans  apart,  Mr.  Armani  understands  my  strange 
body  type.  He's  made  beautiful  suits  for  me  and  even  a  gown  or  two.  And 
nobody,  but  nobody,  can  pick  fabric  like  this  man.  Even  the  most  unattractive 
person  in  the  world  looks  inviting  in  Armani. 

Whoopi  Goldberg,  Actress 


w 


n  e 


i 


What  makes  Armani  the  premiere  designer  of  our  time  is  his 
extraordinary  ability  to  combine  style,  texture,  cut,  and  color.  His 
classic  grace  defines  elegance  and,  like  all  great  artists,  he  makes 

simplicity  look  easy. 

Annette  Bening,  Actress 


t  chhurne   Lena  Olliv  second  row:  Penny  Marshall.  Mark  Wahlberg.  Mira  Sorv.no.  Fanny 
Top  row:  B,„y  Crys.a,  Isaoena  Posse,,,,.  *^£^ZT^  -  -,  0-.  -  —  —  -  «-  «— ■  — 

Ardant.  Thora  Birch;  third  row:  Jewel.  Dj.mon  Hounsou,  Charl.ze  Theron.  Mgrch( 


/  was  very  happy  that  Giorgio  Armani  was  able  to  provide  t/i< 
wardrobe  for  my  world  tour.  His  clothes  feel  elegant  and  sleek — the 
are  perfect.  I  have  so  much  respect  for  him — here  is  a  man  who 

after  twenty-five  years  in  business,  is  still  fueled  with  creative  energy,  and  he 

continues  to  be  at  the  top  of  his  field! 

Ricky  Martin,  Singe* 


Above  and  beyond  what  he  has  contributed  to  the  world  of  fashion, 
I  view  Giorgio  as  a  designer  in  the  broader  sense  of  the  word,  as  an 
architect  for  the  human  form.  As  such  I  consider  him  a  genius,  purely 
and  simply  one  of  the  great  artists  of  the  twentieth  century. 

Eric  Clapton,  Singer 


50 


My  relationship  with  Mr.  Armani  started  nearly  twenty  years  ago  when 

he  lent  me  a  stunning  ensemble,  which  I  wore  to  the  Kennedy  Center 
i  C  Honors:  a  black,  long-sleeved,  beaded,  fabulous-shouldered  tunic 
over  black  satin  pajamas.  I  felt  then,  for  the  first  time,  something  that  I  stir 
feel  today  when  I  put  on  Armani:  it  is  possible  to  be  dressed  up  and  remaii 
yourself.  When  wearing  Armani  at  any  of  the  fancy  events  that  I've  had  tc 
attend  in  the  past  years,  I  have  never  felt  like  a  mannequin — stiff,  self 
conscious,  and  alien  to  myself. 

Actors  in  the  public  eye  are  now  expected  to  be  fashion  models, 
find  it  difficult  and  intimidating  because  that  is  not  who  I  am.  I  am  a  private 
person  who  likes  to  be  comfortable  and  unadorned.  In  an  Armani  outfit,  I 
don't  lose  my  identity.  Often,  I  don't  even  wear  any  jewelry.  And  I  have  a 
wonderful  time  because  I  am  not  constantly  fighting  my  clothing. 

How  brave  Mr.  Armani  is  to  throw  himself  and  his  work  to  the  lions 
and  tigers  every  year.  What  a  sublime  achievement  to  have  been  doing  it  so 
triumphantly  for  over  twenty-five  years!  Like  all  great  artists,  he  remains  true 
to  himself  and  continually  inspires  me  never  to  shrink  from  a  challenge. 

Glenn  Close,  Actress 


Giorgio  Armani  changed  the  face  of  women 's  fashion  beginning  in  the 
'70s.  Thousands  of  confused  women  placed  their  confidence  in  him, 
and  were  overnight  transformed  to  "best  dressed. " 

Anjelica  Huston,  Actress 


Giorgio  Armani  is  classical,  expressing  with  continuity  a  severe 
elegance  that  derives  from  both  the  intellect  and  the  senses.  He  is 
modern  and  his  persuasive  power  emanates  from  a  process  o 

studied  choice— of  form,  materials,  fabrics,  and  colors  appropriate  foi 

every  situation. 

Gae  Aulenti,  Architect 


Top  row:  Kevin  Costner.  Ken  Russell.  Tom  Hanks.  Ashley  Judd.  Kevin  Spacey:  second  row:  Lauryn  Hill.  Ben  Affleck.  Emmanuelle  Beart.  Sean  Connery. 
Gwyneth  Paltrow;  third  row:  Alicia  Silverstone.  Jean-Michel  Basquiat.  Sharon  Stone.  Caroline  Kennedy  Schlessberg  and  John  F.  Kennedy.  Jr.,  Russell 
Crowe:  fourth  row:  Natalie  Portman.  Denzel  Washington.  Diane  Lane.  Leonardo  DiCapno.  Julia  Louis  Dreyfus:  bottom  row:  Salma  Hayek.  Ed  Harris. 
Candice  Bergen.  Emma  Thompson,  Pete  Sampras. 


To  tell  you  the  truth,  and  Giorgio  knows  this,  I  really  don't  know 
anything  about  fashion,  and  I  knew  even  less  before  we  made 
American  Gigolo.  But  it  was  daring,  forward-thinking  design  that 
influenced  a  generation  of  other  designers,  wearers,  and  wannabe  movie 
dreamers.  The  best  fabrics  in  the  world.  And  he  is  a  gentleman. 

Richard  Gere,  Actor 


Why  do  I  wear  Armani?  Because  there  are  things  of  his  that  are 
fifteen  years  old  that  I  still  wear.  Because  he  takes  seven  colors  to 
make  just  one.  Because  he  has  classic,  good  sense,  and  classic 

cuts,  like  Savile  Row,  that  you  can  always  wear. 

I  first  discovered  Armani  while  filming  American  Gigolo  and  I  have 

been  wearing  his  clothes  ever  since.  He  has  also  become  a  personal  friend. 

I  did  a  runway  show  for  Giorgio  too,  one  of  his  earliest. 

Armani  makes  things  easy.  There 's  always  something  from  Armani 

I'll  look  good  in  on  or  off  the  set.  His  clothes  are  sexy,  good-looking,  classic, 

and  comfortable. 

Lauren  Hutton,  Actress,  Model 


His  designs  come  to  life  as  soon  as  I  put  them  on.  I  think  Giorgio 's 
philosophy  is  that  a  woman  should  be  complemented  by  her  clothing, 
not  overpowered  by  it.  That  really  works  for  me. 

Michelle  Pfeiffer,  Actress 


Wearing  Armani  as  John  Shaft  gave  me  a  remarkable  feeling  of 
confidence  and  cool.  The  clothing,  especially  the  leather  jackets, 
helped  me  as  an  actor  to  embody  a  new  kind  of  heroism,  sexiness, 
and  suave  in  playing  a  '70s  film  icon  and  moving  him  into  the  new 
millennium.  Armani  is  a  true  innovator  and  genius  of  design  because  he 
allows  a  man  so  much  self-expression  and  individuality  in  dressing— yet 

always  at  a  level  of  world-class  taste. 

Samuel  L.  Jackson,  Actor 


1.  Woman's  evening  dress,  spring/summer  1997.  2.  Woman's  evening  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1995-96.  3.  Woman's  evening  pants  ensemble. 

fall/winter  1995-96.  4.  Woman's  evening  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1995-96.     Armani  has  often  endowed  apparel  with  a  metaphor  for  celebrity  in 
the  form  of  a  peekaboo  game  of  personal  revelation  and  concealment.  The  undeniable  self-exhibition  and  exposure  of  many  of  his  designs  are 


invariably  hnked  w„h  a  skillful  obfuscat.on  of  .he  most  pnva.e  and  persona,.  As  w„h  his  own  pubhc  persona,  there  is  no  apparent  guardedness. 
but  the  carefully  plaoed  beading  and  ref,ect,ve  zones  of  seau.n.ng  In  the  even.ngwear  Illustrated  here  assure  that  any  nud.ty  o,  d.sdosure  Is 


securely  orchestrated. 


5.  Woman's  evening  shorts  ensemble,  spring/summer  1995.  6.  Woman's  evening  bustier  and  skirt  ensemble,  spring/summer  1988.  7.  Woman's 
evening  bodice  and  skirt  ensemble,  spring/summer  1988.  8.  Woman's  evening  jacket  and  skirt,  spring/summer  1988.  History  is  not  entirely  shed 
by  Armani,  but  appears  in  his  work  only  in  conjunction  with  contemporary  materials  and  forms.  Here,  romanticism  is  marked  with  a  Milanese  edge  as 


*e  Inverts  elements  of  historical  dress.  His  subjects  of  .he  crinoline  and  the  corse,  «o  .ns.de-ou.  reversals  resu.ts  In  a  mode,n,s,  Infrsstruotural 
"Press.on.  LiKe  the  moulted  sK,n  of  a  python,  the  stiffened  casings  of  nlneteenth-century  dress  form  vestigial  enclosures  to  more  suppie  and  s.lKen 
gowns  beneath. 


9.  Woman's  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1997.  10.  Woman's  evening  pants  ensemble,  spring/summer  1997.  11.  Woman's  strapless  evening 
gown,  spring/summer  1999.  12.  Woman's  strapless  evening  gown,  spr.ng/summer  1999.  13.  Woman's  strapless  evening  gown,  spring/summ< 
1999.     The  Armani  aesthetic  is  invariably  discreet,  with  elaborate  beaded  embroideries  often  muted  in  their  expression  if  not  their  application.  Ri 
combinations  of  seed  and  bugle  beads,  varied  sequins,  faceted  stones,  and  pearls  are  frequently  so  densely  applied  as  to  form  a  high  relief.  Bui 


a  k.nd  of  perverse  reversal,  th.s  baroque  abandon  Is  either  softened  by  a  tone-on-tone  palette  that  obscures  the  legibility  of  the  richly  encrusted 
forms,  or  veiled  by  complementary-colored  s.lk  mesh.  Armani's  glitter  is  like  the  nacreous  surfaces  of  a  grotto,  or  old  m.rrors  in  a  candlelit  hall,  in 
which  flash  and  dazzle  are  reduced  to  an  adumbral  glow. 


LIBERTY,      EQUALITY,      SOBRIETY 


Suzy  Menkes 


The  Duke  of  Windsor,  that  icon  of  masculine  elegance,  had  a  habit  of  casting  off — literally  a 
metaphorically — the  "buttoned-up"  rigidity  of  royal  life.  "It  was  my  impulse,  whenever  I  found  mys* 
alone,  to  remove  my  coat,  rip  off  my  tie,  loosen  my  collar  and  roll  up  my  sleeves,"  he  wrote  in   i 
Family  Album,  his  1960  memoir.  "The  Duchess  likes  to  describe  this  process  as  my  'striptease'  act. 

Cut  to  Martin  Scorsese's  1990  documentary  Made  in  Milan,  where  Giorgio  Armani  i 
conducting  his  own  fashion  "striptease" — ripping  out  from  a  jacket  the  lining,  the  interlining,  tl 
padding,  the  facings,  and  anything  that  makes  male  tailoring  formal  and  constricting. 

The  Duke  might  have  made  fashion  history  by  being  the  first  man  to  insist  on  hand-tailore  I 
sports  jackets  as  soft  and  supple  as  a  shirt.  But  Armani  democratized  the  unstructured  jacke 
produced  it  industrially,  and  suited  it  to  everyman — and  everywoman. 

By  bringing  comfort  and  freedom  of  movement  to  tailored  uniformity,  Armani  marke 
twentieth-century  fashion  and  underscored  its  linear,  masculine  quality.  This  androgynous  styl 
reached  its  apogee  in  the  1980s  as  the  aerodynamic,  modern,  unisex  pantsuit. 

"I  think  I  succeeded,"  Armani  has  said,  "In  the  difficult  task  of  transferring  the  concept  c 
sobriety  from  the  men's  wardrobe  to  women's  way  of  dressing."2  The  result  is  so  natural,  easy,  an 
low-key  that  it  is  hard  to  credit  Armani  with  a  fashion  revolution.  The  image  is  set  in  the  stone-beig* 
colors  he  favors.  Running-water  colors.  Or,  as  he  describes  them,  "colors  of  dawn  and  dusk."3  Th- 
silhouette  is  fluid,  shadowing  the  body— an  easy  jacket,  square-shouldered  in  the  power-dressing  ei 
but  now  rounded  and  softened.  The  slouchy  pants  flow,  rather  than  grip,  and  take  movement  in 
a  long  stride. 

Armani  entered  fashion  via  menswear,  working  for  eight  years  from  1964  for  Nino  Cerruti. 
launching  into  womenswear  with  his  own  label  only  in  1976.  That  menswear  thread  has  never  been 
broken.  Jackets  and  pants  remain  the  linchpin  of  his  look,  even  if  dresses  have  long  since  been 
absorbed  into  his  fashion  vocabulary  and  active  sportswear  is  a  forceful  part  of  the  Armani  empire. 


The  Duke  of  Windsor,  1949 


Woman  in  Edwardian  jacket  and  skirt, 
ca.  1898 


"To  me,  the  jacket  is  the  perfect  piece  of  clothing,  as  important  an  invention  as  jeans  and  the 
T-shirt,"  he  told  the  London  Times  in  1991. 4  That  was  more  than  a  decade  after  Richard  Gere  in  Paul 
Schrader's  1980  film  American  Gigolo  brought  Armani  to  public  attention  and  uttered  the  immortal 
words:  "Who's  acting  in  this  scene,  me  or  the  jacket?" 

An  Armani  outfit  is  designed  to  walk  off  the  runway  into  the  street.  "When  I  started,  my  idea 
was  always  to  make  men  and  women  seem  contemporary  but  never  ridiculous  or  obsessed  by 
fashion,"  Armani  told  this  writer  in  1999. 5 

His  principles  are  akin  to  the  minimalist  ideas  of  the  Bauhaus:  design  free  from  meaningless 
ornament  "so  that  the  eye  may  delight  in  perfection  of  proportion  and  of  surface,"  as  British  Vogue 
described  the  new  style  in  1927.6  It  is  summed  up  in  the  mantras  of  the  architect  Mies  van  der  Rohe, 
"God  is  in  the  details"  and  "less  is  more." 

To  understand  Armani's  achievement,  you  have  to  see  him  as  a  link  in  a  chain  that  goes  back 
to  the  introduction  of  "tailor-made"  outfits  in  the  Belle  Epoque  and  continues  through  Gabrielle 
"Coco"  Chanel  in  the  1920s-30s  and  Yves  Saint  Laurent  in  the  1960s-70s. 

The  concept  of  tailoring— a  male  preserve  since  Neoclassical  times— edged  its  way  into 
women's  fashion  via  Edwardian  jackets  and  skirts  and  riding  outfits.  But  it  was  the  conjunction  of  the 
streamlining  of  industrial  design,  Bauhaus  modernism,  the  linear  geometry  of  abstract  art,  and  the 
emancipation  of  women  in  the  1920s  that  moved  female  fashion  away  from  the  decorative  and  status- 
conscious  toward  the  functional. 

Chanel  was  the  progenitor,  the  designer  who  appropriated  elements  of  male  clothing  to  give 
women  a  realistic,  self-possessed  wardrobe  that  offered  ease,  comfort,  functionality,  and  freedom. 
Other  designers  like  Jean  Patou  contributed  to  the  new  energetic  sportiness  that  emerged  in  the  fluid 
pants,  sweaters,  and  cardigan  jackets  of  the  1930s,  but  Chanel  Is  identified  with  the  truly  radical 
departure  in  women's  dress. 


Chanel.  "Ford  Dress."  1926 


Christian  Dior,  New  Look.  1947 


Significantly,  Armani  himself  is  drawn  to  the  period  when  newly  cropped  hair  and  flat  figures 
announced  the  "garcon"  or  boyish  look  for  women.  "The  thirties  and  early  forties  have  always 
influenced  me,"  he  has  said.  "There  was  an  elegant  simplicity — a  clean  white  blouse,  a  simple  shirt, 
a  duster,  a  slim  lame  evening  dress.  By  the  fifties,  fashion  was  getting  too  extreme."7 

It  is  no  wonder  that  Armani  rejected  the  immediate  postwar  look.  The  recidivist  fashion  era 
ushered  in  by  Christian  Dior's  1947  New  Look  wrenched  women  away  from  the  new  classicism  and 
burgeoning  equality  with  men  and  propelled  them  backwards  to  a  feminine,  romantic,  nostalgic  past. 

It  was  left  to  the  young  Saint  Laurent  to  take  up  the  feminist  cause.  The  wardrobe  he  created 
in  the  1960s  allowed  a  well-dressed  woman,  as  he  himself  put  it,  to  need  nothing  more  than  a  blazer, 
a  raincoat,  a  roll-neck  sweater,  and  a  pair  of  flannel  pants.  The  tuxedo  that  he  reinvented  for  women 
was  the  ultimate  expression  of  twentieth-century  fashion:  pants  for  equality  and  jackets  for  women 
standing  shoulder  pad  to  broad  shoulders  in  a  man's  world. 

But  if  Saint  Laurent  was  the  architect  of  a  new  mode  of  dressing  for  an  entire  generation  of 
women,  his  style  remained  traditional  in  two  areas.  Although  he  was  in  the  vanguard  of  the  Parisian 
ready-to-wear  movement,  the  designer  was,  and  is,  quintessential^  a  couturier,  his  artistic  heart 
beating  for  custom-made  clothes  at  the  elevated  level  of  haute  couture.  His  fashion  revolution  also 
stopped  short  of  challenging  the  male-female  status  quo.  For  all  the  tailored  masculinity  of  Saint 
Laurent's  daywear  and  tuxedos,  at  night  women  were  offered  the  sinuous  romance  of  draped  and 
embellished  dresses. 

As  the  feminist  movement  gathered  momentum  and  questions  of  gender  bubbled  up,  it  was 
not  only  women,  but  men  too  who  were  changing.  Although  the  initial  thrust  of  androgyny  was  for 
women  to  take  on  men's  clothing,  its  ultimate  effect  was  the  softening  of  the  male  carapace  of 
tailoring  that  had  its  distant  origins  in  the  medieval  suit  of  armor.  But  if  the  coalescence  of  male  and 
female  attire  was  the  essence  of  twentieth-century  style,  fashion  also  witnessed  the  struggle  to  free 


Fall/Winter  1989-90 


the  body  from  constricting  clothes.  Women  discarded  the  corsets  that  had  molded  the  female 
silhouette  for  four  hundred  years.  Flexibility  and  freedom  applied  also  to  men's  clothes.  The  logic  of 
the  pre-Armani  era  was  that  the  suit  maketh  the  man.  A  bespoke  tailor  would  rebuild  a  pigeon  chest, 
stiffen  the  spine,  whittle  the  waist,  and  generally  improve  on  the  imperfect.  "There  was  a  stereotype 
male  with  rigid  silhouette  and  stiff  shoulders,"  said  Armani.  "Since  then  men  have  accepted  a  lot.  It 
is  not  a  question  of  being  formal  or  casual.  But  of  a  different  mentality.  An  elegant  man  or  woman  of 
today  is  not  the  same  as  twenty  or  thirty  years  ago.  When  you  think  now  of  a  man  dressed  like  an  old- 
style  English  country  gentleman,  it  looks  like  play  acting."8 

You  could  argue  that  the  old-fashioned  tyranny  of  tightly  laced  underwear  and  hefty,  sculpted 
suits  has  simply  been  replaced  by  the  modern  tyranny  of  the  gym.  But  bodily  physique  is  now  the 
undisputed  foundation  of  style— and  has  been  since  sports  clothes  became  general  leisure  wear  from 
the  early  1980s.  When  Armani  injected  the  ease  of  sportswear  into  tailored  suits,  it  was  not  just  a 
reflection  of  how  a  new  generation  felt  about  clothes,  but  also  a  reaction  to  their  gym-honed  bodies. 

That  is  why  the  visualization  of  male  pride  in  the  1980s  became  a  body  rippling  through  its 
light  covering,  as  seen  on  Don  Johnson  wearing  an  Armani  jacket  over  a  taut  T-shirt  in  Miami  Vice,  the 
cast  of  Brian  De  Palma's  1987  film  The  Untouchables  in  sleek  Armani  suits,  or  the  designer  himself 
in  his  signature  T-shirt  and  jeans. 

The  triumph  of  the  soft  pantsuit  for  women  coincided  with  the  supermodel  era,  when  the 
body  beautiful  became  at  least  as  important  as  the  clothes.  Although  Armani  h.mself  eschewed  the 
cult  of  celebrity  models,  his  clothes  were  designed  to  cover  a  female  silhouette  sculpted  by  working 
out.  The  design  innovation  for  both  sexes  was  to  produce  on  an  industrial  scale  a  soft  covering  for 

the  hard  body. 

Perhaps  only  in  M.Ian,  the  heartland  of  modern  industrial  design,  could  a  tailor  have 
envisaged  making  factory-line  slipcovers  for  the  human  frame-reminiscent  of  the  beige  calico 


Spring/Summer  1993 


Spring/Summer  1999 


shrouds  that  are  placed  over  basic  chairs  at  every  Armani  event.  The  secret  of  the  new  suits  lay  in 
the  fabric  research  that  Italian  manufacturers  had  undertaken  in  the  postwar  period.  With  Como  silk 
undercut  by  production  in  Asia,  Italian  mills  focused  on  synthetic  fabrics  and  their  blends  with  natural 
fibers  to  answer  the  high-performance,  low-maintenance  needs  of  modern  society. 

Armani  was  in  the  vanguard  of  this  fabric  innovation  and  to  this  day  he  says  that  as  much 
time  is  spent  on  developing  intriguing  textures  and  surface  finishes  as  on  the  design  prototypes 
that  he  personally  fits,  often  sitting  on  the  floor  like  a  traditional  tailor.  The  jackets  thus  retain 
the  elegance  of  the  uncomplicated,  while  slithery  "wet"  or  rougher  "dry"  finishes  give  depth  to 
their  noncolors. 

Armani  remains  a  rational  designer,  a  creator  of  clothes  for  the  workplace  and  the  street.  His 
forays  into  more  exotic  designs  for  evening  are  mostly  vacational  inspirations — sarongs  from  tropical 
islands,  colors  drawn  from  lagoons  and  coral  reefs,  sequined  sheaths  like  mermaid  scales — all 
symbols  of  escape  from  everyday  reality. 

Is  the  tasteful  mimimalism  for  which  Armani  has  become  so  well  known  still  enough  for  the 
new  millennium?  Just  as  postmodern  artists  have  challenged  abstraction  and  the  total  elimination  of 
the  superfluous  and  the  decorative,  so  postfeminist  women  are  beginning  to  hanker  after  a  wardrobe 
that  is  based  less  on  menswear  and  that  allows  for  some  essentially  female  or  "girly"  attributes. 
Young  men  also  crave  the  bravura  sexiness  of  the  peacock  male,  exemplified  by  biker  hardness  or 
rocker  flamboyance. 

Armani  has  responded  with  color  (for  both  sexes)  and  with  pattern  (mostly  geometric  and 
abstract,  although  sometimes  orientalist).  He  has  also  recut  male  and  female  silhouettes  closer  to 
their  natural  forms.  And  he  has  lightened  up  fabrics  so  that  his  famous  women's  pants  or  cardigan 
jackets  might  be  reduced  to  just  a  gauzy  wisp. 

But  it  is  hard  to  believe  that  Armani  is  ever  going  to  break  the  visceral  link  between  rational 


design  and  the  ascetic  luxury  of  fine  fabrics  cut  with  quiet  elegance.  To  do  so  would  be  to  negate  his  73 

essential  rigor  and  purity.  Powerful  designers,  like  other  artists,  draw  from  an  interior  wellspring  of 
creativity.  However  fashion  flows,  they  follow  their  own  currents.  And  Armani's  instinct  is  for  liberty, 
equality,  sobriety. 

Notes 

1.  Duke  of  Windsor,  A  Family  Album  (London:  Cassell.  1960),  p    105. 

2.  Quoted  in  Olivia  Lowe,  "Giorgio  Armani."  Yes  Please,  December  7,  1990.  p.  7. 

3.  Conversation  with  the  author,  Milan,  June  30,  1999. 

4.  Lisa  Armstrong.  "Why  Armam  Can't  Keep  a  Straight  Face."  The  Times  (London).  July  4,  1991.  p.  15. 

5.  Quoted  in  Suzy  Menkes.  "Giorgio  Armani:  Celebrating  25  Years  in  2000."  International  Herald  Tribune.  July  2.  1999.  p.  14. 

6.  See  The  Twenties  in  Vogue  (London:  Octopus  Books,  1983).  p.  98. 

7.  Quoted  in  "Giorgio's  New  Glamour,"  W.  February  18,  1991.  p.  116. 

8.  Quoted  in  Menkes,  p.  14. 


ON      WOMENSWEAR 


Franca  Sozzani 


In  1976  I  had  yet  to  be  led  astray  by  the  world  of  fashion.  I  had  very  clear  ideas:  I  liked  pant 
blouses,  and  jackets.  Yves  Saint  Laurent  and  Walter  Albini  were  my  points  of  reference.  But  now  the 
was  a  new  name  on  the  scene:  Giorgio  Armani.  Although  he  had  already  made  numerous  appearance 
in  LVomo  Vogue  (not  my  choice  of  reading  matter  at  the  time),  he  was  virtually  unknown  to  tl 
female  public.  Almost  twenty-five  years  have  passed  since  then,  and  who  can  claim  that  they  ha\ 
never  heard  of  Armani  now?  How  can  he  still  be  so  successful  after  so  long?  What  has  happened  ov* 
the  years?  How  has  he  managed  to  capture  the  desires  of  women  of  all  ages  from  countries  that  a/ 
so  different  in  terms  of  culture  and  custom? 

As  I  say  to  editors  and  photographers  when  I  need  to  explain  something:  "Find  a  concept  an 
half  the  work  is  done.  Be  true  to  your  concept  and  you  will  create  a  style."  But  it's  not  that  easy  I 
achieve!  Armani  has  always  based  what  he  does  on  a  very  precise  idea.  And  there  is  more:  he  he 
arrived  where  he  is  today  by  always  believing  in  a  specific  concept.  All  the  awards  he  has  receive 
over  the  past  few  years  have  effectively  been  given  to  him  for  the  consistency  of  his  work.  That  ha- 
always  been  his  a.m.  but  it  is  also  just  the  way  he  is.  He  is  direct,  happy  to  please,  but  not  to  indulge 
He  has  never  compromised,  either  in  terms  of  style  or  .mage  or  in  his  dealings  with  journalists.  Tha 
has  been  the  key  to  his  success.  "It  is  my  opinion  and  I  share  it,"  wrote  M.  B.  Monnier  in  1840 
almost  a  century  before  Armani  was  born. 

Armani  started  just  one  revolution,  twenty-five  years  ago,  by  placing  a  man's  jacket  or 
a  woman  and  combining  it  not  just  with  a  shirt  and  waistcoat,  but  with  corsets  or  pieces  of  precious 
fabric  covering  bare  breasts-a  bit  like  what  is  seen  in  fashion  shows  at  the  start  of  this  new  century. 
At  that  time,  the  kindest  chose  to  believe  that  he  had  done  so  as  a  last-minute  replacement  for 
a  jacket  that  had  turned  out  wrong!  Nowadays,  anything  goes  under  the  banner  of  creativity,  and 
daring  in  order  to  astonish  is  the  starting  point  for  anyone  wanting  to  be  a  designer.  Yet  since  this 
initial  upheaval.  Armani's  long  story  revolves  around  just  a  handful  of  common  denominators  that 


Jacket  and  shorts  ensemble  from  the 
Spring/Summer  1986  collection, 
sketched  by  Giorgio  Armani,  2000 


Evening  gown  from  the  Fall/Winter 
1986-87  collection,  sketched  by 
Giorgio  Armani.  2000 


have  stood  the  test  of  time,  changing  incrementally  as  tastes  have  evolved.  Armani's  decision  not  to 
astonish  is  a  courageous  choice,  for  journalists  love  to  be  astonished. 

For  Armani,  the  development  of  fashion  is  linked  to  the  search  for  new  materials  and  details, 
which  he  applies  to  what  have  become  his  calling  cards:  jackets  and  overcoats  adapted  from 
menswear,  embroidered  cardigans,  see-through  skirts  over  pants,  tops,  shawls,  evening  dresses  that 
borrow  the  form  of  a  man's  vest,  lacy  black  and  white  petticoats  and  corsets.  An  entire  essay  could 
be  devoted  to  the  thousand  ways  he  has  interpreted  the  basic  features  of  the  tuxedo.  Colors  and 
noncolors— it  would  be  possible  to  discuss  his  muted  palette  until  the  end  of  time.  Armani  is  precise 
even  here.  There  is  no  question  that  he  comes  very  close  to  the  opinion  voiced  by  the  highly  elegant 
Elsie  de  Wolf:  "It's  beige,  my  color." 

Speaking  about  someone's  work  is  almost  as  sensitive  as  discussing  the  private  life  of 
a  famous  person.  The  work  is  not  just  what  you  see,  it  is  what  lies  behind  it  as  well:  the  dreams,  the 
choices,  the  creativity,  the  difficulties  in  turning  an  idea  into  reality.  Taking  all  of  this  and  producing 
a  garment-and  then  multiplying  this  process  by  two  hundred,  twice  a  year  for  twenty-five  years,  for 
both  women's  and  men's  collections-.s  a  slightly  crazy  endeavor.  Continuity  is  a  great  deal  harder 
than  the  fleeting,  bright  spark;  it  is  also  exhausting,  unless  the  concept  and  passion  are  stronger. 

What  are  the  fundamental  aspects  of  Armani's  work?  What  garments  and  colors  will 
be  instantly  recognized  as  Armani,  no  matter  where  they  are  seen?  In  my  opinion,  his  work  can  be 
divided  into  four  basic  categories  that  encapsu.ate  the  designer's  vision:  androgynous,  minimal, 
ethnic,  and  eveningwear  derived  from  the  form  of  the  tuxedo. 


Androgynous  . 

"Masculine"  Is  the  most  frequently  used  adject.ve  In  describing  Armani's  pantsu.ts  for  women,  and 
reference  has  often  mistaken.y  been  made  to  women  dressed  l.ke  men  when  talking  about  Arman,  s 


style.  I  do  not  think  there  is  any  interpretation  that  could  be  further  from  his  original  idea.  The  man' 
garment  is  only  the  starting  point,  not  the  undisputed  protagonist,  of  Armani's  female  wardrobe 
The  idea  of  a  man's  suit  on  a  woman-a  jacket  with  tie  and  waistcoat,  pants  with  pleats-comes  fror, 
Saint  Laurent,  who  combined  these  elements  of  male  dress  with  a  female  touch  in  the  form  of  higl 
heels  (very  high  heels,  even  platforms).  Armani  does  the  exact  opposite.  With  him.  the  man's  garmen 
is  taken  to  pieces  and  refashioned  on  a  woman:  the  lapels  are  widened,  the  shoulders  are  rounded 
and  the  bosom  is  emphasized-or  sometimes  even  exposed  when  the  front  of  the  jacket  plunges  l<» 
enough.  Low  sandals  and  embroidered  slippers  accompany  these  outfits,  almost  as  if  to  emphasize 
that  all  this  male  inspiration  must  be  transformed  into  something  more  soft  and  gentle.  No  heels 
men's  shoes,  or  other  ambiguous  "fetishes":  the  Armani  woman  is  feminine,  gentle  in  he 
movements,  the  exact  opposite  of  lesbo-chic  or  business  style. 

Each  season  the  jacket  is  reexamined  and  renewed  by  Armani:  it  does  up  at  the  side,  ties 
at  the  bosom,  crosses  at  the  back,  fastens  at  the  neck,  or  the  lapels  rise  to  form  the  neckline  of  an 
Indian  guru's  jacket.  Sometimes  it  does  not  do  up  at  all  and  has  only  a  scarf  underneath.  It  might  get 
shorter,  reaching  only  the  waist,  or  increase  to  three-quarter  length  like  a  ladies'  riding  habit  from 
the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century.  It  is  redesigned,  reproportioned.  and  given  a  thousand 
variations:  drooping  collars,  even  with  flounces;  soft  martingales  at  the  hips;  tapered  sleeves 
brushing  the  arms.  It  might  be  tight-fitted  to  emphas.ze  the  shape  of  a  woman's  body  and  buttoned 
with  the  classic  four  buttons,  or  tied  in  blouse  cuffs  and  soft  ruches  to  lend-even  to  the  starkest  of 
garments— a  feminine  touch. 

Armani  has  also  stolen  the  cardigan  from  the  men's  wardrobe.  Originally  it  was  small,  tight- 
fitting,  and  tapered,  hugging  the  hips,  with  small,  low  pockets  that  allowed  women  nonchalantly 
to  place  their  hands  in  their  pockets.  A  woman  should  be  free,  knowing,  and  relaxed.  Armani  seemed 
to  be  saying,  as  if  clothes  are  just  a  game  for  her.  a  way  of  being  able  to  move  as  naturally 


Evening  gown  from  the  Fall/Winter 
1986-87  collection,  sketched  by 
Giorgio  Armani.  2000 


as  possible.  In  the  1980s  the  cardigan  became  wider,  falling  over  a  body  that  would  have  been  naked 
except  for  the  long,  light,  embroidered  skirts  barely  covering  the  legs.  Floral  and  geometric  patterns 
were  introduced  to  the  staid  English  gentleman's  cardigan. 

Another  item  beloved  by  Armani  is  the  waistcoat.  In  its  transposition  to  womenswear, 
it  is  never  given  a  masculine  shape;  the  origin  is  clear,  but  never  appears  literally.  It  becomes 
a  micro  top  that  changes  continuously,  as  if  by  magic:  made  smaller  or  larger,  depending  on  whether 
it  is  worn  beneath  a  jacket  or  alone  with  a  skirt  or  pants;  pleated,  folded,  decorated,  or  layered. 
It  crosses  over  at  the  front  or  buttons  at  the  bottom,  or  even  right  up  to  the  neck,  almost  like 
a  clergyman's  garb.  And  above  all,  it  comes  in  all  lengths,  even  extending  toward  the  floor  in  the 
form  of  a  long  dress. 

Armani  is  not  the  romantic,  affected  man  of  the  twin  set.  He  is  a  man  of  contradictions, 
feminizing  what  is  masculine.  The  bomber  jacket,  which  became  a  status  symbol  for  men  of  all  ages 
in  the  1950s  and  later  a  standard  feature  of  Armani's  men's  collections,  has  been  transformed  by  the 
designer  into  a  small  "jewel"  to  be  worn  in  the  evening,  made  of  various  precious  fabrics,  often 
embroidered  or  beaded,  including  velvet,  satin,  silk  crepe,  and  Scottish  taffetas. 

Minimal 

"Minimal,"  a  term  adopted  from  the  art  world,  has  become  synonymous  with  "pure."  "clean-cut."  and 
"linear."  In  fashion,  it  is  a  deliberate  challenge  to  the  arrogance  of  luxury,  gold,  and  embellishment. 
Minimalism  was  brought  to  life  in  the  1980s  by  the  Japanese  designers  Re.  Kawakubo  and  Yohj. 
Yamamoto.  who  went  against  the  trends  of  the  time  in  doing  so.  It  reappeared  In  the  early  1990s, 
when  there  was  a  general  rebellion  against  the  excesses  of  the  previous  decade,  and  now  it  is  once 
again  in  decline.  And  yet  it  is  the  only  way  to  dress  for  anyone  seeking  true  style  in  fashion  and  not 
merely  the  latest  trend. 


Armani  is  minimal,  naturally.  Little  has  changed  for  him,  from  1975  to  today.  He  believes  tha 
cuts  must  be  simple,  clean,  and  as  straight  as  possible— which  is  why  he  has  always  chosei 
masculine  shapes,  because  they  do  not  lend  themselves  to  an  overemphasis  of  decoration.  Favorin; 
linearity  does  not  necessarily  mean  sacrificing  decoration  altogether,  or  avoiding  embroidery  anc 
jewelry.  Rather,  it  is  about  not  indulging  in  artificial,  uncomfortable,  or  impossible  shapes,  seeking 
self-gratification  in  stylistic  virtuosity  that,  more  often  than  not,  leads  one  to  ask,  "Who  on  earth  is 
going  to  wear  that  and,  even  if  someone  did,  where  would  they  go  dressed  that  way?" 

Years  ago,  the  much-feared  fashion  and  style  critic  John  Fairchild  commented  of  Gloria 
Guiness  (that  icon  of  elegance  par  excellence),  "Miss  Guiness  was  the  chicest  of  all  in  a  black 
cardigan  and  black  skirt."  Guiness  herself  said,  "I  don't  believe  in  fashion.  I  believe  in  consistency. 
Seemingly  simple  garments  created  using  luxurious  materials  and  with  meticulous  attention  to  details 
that  are  almost  invisible  to  the  untrained  eye  have  always  been  synonymous  with  luxury  and  elegance, 
a  maxim  confirmed  by  the  words  of  Diana  Vreeland,  the  legendary  editor  of  American  Vogue:  "I  like  to 
be  very  luxuriously  dressed.  I  like  to  have  on  the  most  luxurious  black  cashmere  sweater,  the  most 
luxurious  black  satin  pants." 

Various  criticisms  have  been  made  of  the  minimal  style.  It  has  been  accused  more  than  once 
of  being  boring,  uncreative,  unstimulating.  too  rational,  and  passionless.  Armani  has  also  frequently 
been  accused  of  coldness,  due  not  only  to  the  linearity  of  his  style,  but  also  to  his  choice  of  models: 
thin,  lanky  women  without  the  conventional  markers  of  female  sensuality,  with  their  hair  up  in  waves, 
a  chignon,  or  simply  fastened  back  with  grips  or  small  caps.  Truman  Capote  referred  to  this  type 
of  aristocratic  and  distant  beautiful  woman  as  a  "swan,"  the  description  commonly  applied  to  four  of 
the  most  celebrated  icons  of  style:  Guiness,  C.  Z.  Guest,  Slim  Keith,  and  Babe  Paley,  all  of  whom 
dressed— or  dress— simply  to  be  elegant  and  never  to  try  to  stand  out.  "Whoever  looks  only  for  fame 
is  not  bound  for  glory,"  claimed  the  French  statesman  Felix  Faure.  It  is  always  a  choice:  should  you 


Evening  jacket,  overskirt  and  Evening  gown  from  the  Spring/Summer 

pants  ensemble  from  the  Fall/Winter  1990  collection,  sketched  by  Giorgio 

1988-89  collection,  sketched  by  Giorgio  Armani.  2000 
Armani.  2000 


work  toward  the  moment  or  toward  a  long-term  place  in  history?  Go  for  the  ridiculous  thing  that  makes 
the  news,  or  a  style  that  will  become  legendary? 

Ethnic 

Any  history  of  fashion  cannot  fail  to  mention  how  designers  have  always  drawn  on  the  customs  of 
far-off  lands  or  simply  those  of  their  own  countries  of  origin.  This  is  certainly  the  case  with  Cristobal 
Balenciaga,  who  loved  his  native  Spain,  and  with  Saint  Laurent,  who  has  looked  to  Arabic  traditions, 
particularly  those  of  his  adopted  country,  Morocco.  For  Armani,  the  ethnic  is  more  an  idea, 
a  fragrance,  a  memory,  an  infatuation.  It  is  like  a  thread  running  subtly  from  one  country  to  another, 
uniting  all  the  most  important  influences  from  these  places  of  dreams,  experiences,  and  journeys. 
It  may  be  a  flower  or  a  color,  a  shape,  a  hairstyle,  a  piece  of  embroidery,  a  piece  of  jewelry,  a  bag, 
or  just  a  way  of  moving.  The  countries  or  regions  whose  cultures  he  has  alluded  to  range  from  India  to 
Japan,  China,  Indonesia.  Polynesia,  and  Northern  Africa.  The  allusions  are  vague  and  undefined, 
personal  reinterpretations  of  the  original  source.  Indian  gurus"  jackets  are  transformed  into 
embroidered  golden  vests  worn  over  flowing  pants,  or  become  overcoats  cut  like  frock  coats,  opening 
over  wide,  ruched  skirts.  The  "guru"  collar  then  moves  to  China,  and  the  body  of  the  jacket  becomes 
wider.  On  to  Japan,  and  the  sleeves  deepen  to  form  a  kimono,  with  old  pottery  patterns  serving 
as  decorative  motifs  printed  on  silk  or  taffeta.  The  sleeves  fall  off  and  small  collar  lapels  appear, 
taking  us  to  Indonesia,  where  tiny  waistcoats  are  combined  with  long  mesh  wraps  specked  with 
colored  stones  and  glass  beads  that  offer  glimpses  of  tight,  ankle-length  pants  beneath.  The  wrap 
rises  and  ties  above  the  bosom  to  become  a  strapless  evening  dress  in  lace  or  printed  velvet. 
or  shortens  to  caress  the  hips  and  cover  a  longer,  patterned  wrap  in  a  play  of  multiple 
transparencies.  Now  the  bosom  is  wrapped  tightly  in  small  strips,  evocative  of  an  Indian  or  Polynesian 
bandeau.  The  shawl  found  in  wardrobes  around  the  world,  from  Spain  to  Africa.  Russia,  and  Turkey. 


Woman's  tuxedo  from  the  Fall/Winter 
1992-93  collection,  sketched  by 
Giorgio  Armani.  2000 


Evening  mini  dress  and  shorts 
ensemble  from  the  Spring/Summer 
1991  collection,  sketched  by 
Giorgio  Armani,  2000 


even  Italy  itself,  enlivens  even  the  most  linear  of  outfits.  It  may  be  square,  rectangular,  or  triangula 
large  or  small,  used  as  a  belt,  sash,  skirt,  or  an  entire  outfit,  or  to  perform  its  usual  funct.o 
of  covering  the  shoulders,  head,  or  body.  It  may  be  made  of  lace,  wool,  velvet,  silk  tulle,  or  damaske 
fabrics,  fringed,  decorated,  patterned,  colored  or  black,  or  perhaps  even  covered  with  big  black-and 
white  flowers.  Throughout  Armani's  oeuvre.  enormous  or  minute  flowers  are  dyed  onto  all  type 
of  fabric  to  evoke  kimonos  or  saris,  djellabahs  or  caftans. 

For  Armani,  ethnic  style  is  not  so  much  a  way  of  discovering  the  folklore  of  a  people,  a  wa*. 
of  reproducing  their  costumes  and  traditions;  rather,  it  is  a  means  to  capture  the  innate  elegance  tha 
most,  if  not  all.  cultures  retain  when  they  remain  in  touch  with  their  own  history.  He  is  fascinated  b 
this  intrins.c  elegance,  and  it  is  this  that  he  attempts  to  appropriate,  while  leaving  behind  the 
obvious.  Avoiding  folklorist.c  cliches  is  as  difficult  as  transforming  these  v.s.ons  and  interpretation, 
into  new  forms  of  clothing. 


Eveningwear 

Black  tie  for  a  gala  evening,  the  tuxedo  marks  the  man's  entry  into  soc.ety.  It  is  a  symbol  of  luxury, 
precision,  and  class.  Very  few  elements  can  be  used  to  create  it:  a  double-breasted  or  single-breasted 
jacket  with  a  shawl  collar;  matching  pants;  a  waistcoat;  a  white  shirt  with  pleated  or  smooth  front, 
pearl  buttons  or  h.dden  fastenings,  and  double  cuffs  with  cufflinks;  a  black  or  white  bow  tie  in  velvet 
or  any  other  colored  fabric;  a  sash  pleated  and  fastened  at  the  back;  plus  an  overcoat  or  three- 
quarter-length  coat,  with  a  white  or  geometrically  patterned  s.lk  scarf.  Each  element  has  been  adapted 
and  reinterpreted  by  Armani  in  his  eveningwear  designs  for  women,  with  additional  touches  of  irony. 

A  black  bow  tie  appears  to  hang,  untied,  over  a  jacket,  as  at  the  end  of  an  evening,  its  edge 
embroidered  in  contrast  to  create  the  trompe  I'oeil  effect.  Elsewhere,  a  jacket  retains  the 
conventional  shawl  collar  In  black  satin,  but  is  fabricated  in  lace  and  held  in  by  a  high  sash 


or  embroidered  like  something  out  of  the  Cotton  Club.  Or  it  might  be  entirely  traditional  in  all  aspects 
but  its  fabric:  a  gray  daytime  wool.  It  might  be  fastened  with  a  pearl  button  or  a  short  string  at  bosom 
height,  but  whatever  the  case,  it  is  so  fitted  and  feminine  that  a  tie  can  be  used  without  making  it 
look  masculine. 

The  tuxedo's  other  elements  are  equally  transformed.  The  bib  front  is  interpreted  in 
honeycombed  pique,  cotton,  embroidered  organza,  velvet,  vertical-pleated  satin,  lace,  very  light 
chiffon,  or  jacquard  silk.  Narrow,  pleated  cuffs  fastened  by  cufflinks  gradually  widen  into  a  white  top 
for  a  black  velvet  evening  dress,  the  two  buttons  fastening  the  giant  cuff  at  the  bosom.  The  waistcoat 
might  be  more  reminiscent  of  a  bib  front  made  of  a  tie  fabric,  buttonless  and  barely  covering 
the  bosom.  The  pants,  whether  white,  polka  dot,  striped,  or  simply  black,  frequently  have  trim  along 
the  sides  and  are  fastened  with  a  different-colored  sash.  The  shirt  is  often  replaced  by  a  scarf,  which 
might  also  be  knotted  as  a  long,  out-of-proportion  tie.  Black  or  white  gloves  with  satin  wrists— worn  in 
sharp  contrast  with  bare  arms— take  the  place  of  jewelry.  All  so  simple. 

This  apparent  simplicity  encompasses  all  of  Armani's  work.  The  women  who  choose  to  wear 
his  clothing  are  austere,  but  never  harsh.  Sophisticated  and  reserved,  they  have  little  patience  for 
continual  changes  in  fashion.  They  are,  in  other  words,  the  embodiment  of  the  concept  that  has 
guided  Armani  through  the  years:  you  do  not  change  with  the  times,  you  change  when  the  time 
is  right.  Staying  true  to  himself  and  ignoring  seasonal  fads  or  the  enthusiastic  comments  of 
journalists  when  they  want  to  launch  a  new  trend  at  all  costs,  Armani  might  well  ask,  in  the  words  of 
James  Thurber,  "Why  should  I  be  a  nonconformist  like  everybody  else?" 


THE      MENSWEAR      REVOLUTION 


Patrick  McCarthy 


The  fashion  world  is  divided  into  two  kinds  of  designers:  those  with  influence  and  those  without.  One 
list  is  considerably  shorter  than  the  other,  and  it  almost  inevitably  begins  with  the  holy  trinity  of 
Christian  Dior,  Gabrielle  "Coco"  Chanel,  and  Cristobal  Balenciaga.  In  the  1960s  and  1970s  Yves 
Saint  Laurent  was — by  universal  agreement — added  to  the  list,  but  after  him  there  was  a  long  perioc 
in  which  new  candidates  would  emerge,  raise  hopes,  cause  debate,  and  then  inevitably  fall  away. 

Until,  of  course,  Giorgio  Armani  arrived.  It  all  sounds  terribly  subjective  but,  in  fact,  the  test 
for  admission  to  these  exalted  ranks  is  both  objective  and  simple:  a  designer  must  actually  influence 
the  way  people  look.  Not  a  few  people,  not  a  tiny  group  of  fashion  insiders — though  it  usually  begins 
there — but  a  broad,  wide-reaching  cross  section  of  the  real  world.  The  litmus  test  is  unforgiving.  Few 
pass,  but  when  they  do  the  breakthrough  is  as  clear  and  understandable  as  most  truths  are.  And  not 
all  that  difficult  to  predict. 

From  almost  the  very  first  sighting  of  Armani — in  1975 — there  was  an  audible  gasp  of 
recognition  within  the  fashion  world.  Here  was  a  contender.  The  unconstructed  blazer  that  Armani 
unlined  and  unleashed  was  the  fashion  shot  heard  around  the  world:  headline  writers  fell  over 
themselves  proclaiming  not  only  a  sartorial  revolution  but  the  birth  of  a  star.  Actually,  Armani  was  one 
of  those  overnight  successes  that  took  a  dozen  or  so  years  to  gestate,  but  that  is  always  a  much 
duller  story.  Nowadays  we  are  used  to  the  superstar  designer— Tom  Ford,  Calvin  Klein,  Miuccia 
Prada — but  in  the  mid-1970s  they  were  still  a  rarity.  The  exceptions  were  French — Saint  Laurent, 
Hubert  de  Givenchy,  Pierre  Cardin — but  it  had  taken  each  of  them  at  least  a  decade  to  build  a 
worldwide  following,  and  by  1975  Paris  had  a  musty  air  about  it.  There  was  a  hunger  for  something 
new,  something  spectacular,  and  Armani  provided  just  that. 

Armani  emerged  in  a  world  still  reeling  from  the  flower-power  gurus  of  the  1960s.  The  bell- 
bottomed,  garish  colors  of  Carnaby  Street  held  an  enormous  sway  over  the  way  many  fashionable  young 
men  dressed,  at  least  in  their  private  moments.  Brooks  Brothers,  and  its  European  and  Asian 


Spring/Summer  1977 


Spring/Summer  1984 


equivalents,  controlled  the  rest  of  their  time.  In  the  early  1970s  Cardin  launched  a  kind  of 
counteroffensive  with  his  stiff  peacock  suits— tight  pants,  high  armholes,  a  silhouette  that  screamed 
"Continental."  The  Cardin  suit  was  the  antithesis  of  what  any  self-respecting,  laid-back  hippie  (or  uptight 
preppie)  would  wear.  It  was  into  this  schizophrenic  stylistic  morass  that  Armani  jumped  headfirst. 

"My  work  has  always  demanded  that  I  be  very  secure,  that  I  have  no  doubts,"  Armani  once 
observed,1  and  the  unconstructed  blazer  that  he  launched  certainly  had  that  air  of  authority.  Armani, 
quite  literally,  ripped  the  guts  out  of  what  most  men  had  been  wearing  for  generations.  Gone  were  the 
linings  and  the  padding  and  the  shoulders.  In  their  place  was  a  light-as-a-feather  jacket  of  remarkable 
simplicity  and  elegance  with  sloped  shoulders,  narrow  lapels,  and  a  new,  long  length. 

There  was  a  deliberately  rumpled  quality  to  Armani's  new  jacket,  but  there  was  also  an 
exhilarating  sense  of  casual  luxury.  The  Armani  cut  was  refined  but  virtually  undetectable,  while  his 
textures  were  both  liberating  and  stunning.  Only  a  designer  of  Armani's  genius  could  have  actually 
transformed  nubby  fabrics— until  that  time  universally  dismissed  as  frumpy  and  old-fashioned  (or 
worse) — into  the  essence  of  cool. 

Indeed,  cloth  is  as  important  to  Armani  as  anything  else  in  his  fashion  arsenal.  "Fabric  is  the 
reason  for  my  success."  he  says.  "Draping  fabric  on  a  body  is  the  most  sensual  thing  that  can 
happen.  It  must  drape  in  your  hand  and  have  a  union  with  the  body.  There  is  fabric  that  jumps  out  of 
my  hand,  that  repels.  I  can't  have  it  near  me."2  Nor  can  he  have  it  near  any  of  his  customers.  From 
the  very  beginning,  there  was  a  suppleness  to  Armani's  material  that  not  even  the  best  Savile  Row 
tailors  could  match.  The  research  that  Armani  and  his  colleagues  undertook  with  the  fabr.c  mills  of 
Lake  Como  led  to  all  kinds  of  breakthroughs  in  texture  and  weight  and  actually  signaled  a  second 
Italian  fashion  revolution.  The  hardened  cloth  that  had  traditionally  been  the  mainstay  of  menswear 
disappeared  overnight.  In  its  place  were  soft,  sensual,  downright  sexy  fabrics  that  caressed  the  body 
as  clothes  never  had  before. 


Indeed,  sex  was  what  sold  Armani.  Long  before  muscled  pecs  and  bare  skin  became  a  staple 
in  men's  fashion  advertising.  Armani  realized  that  there  was  a  growing,  completely  untapped  market 
of  men  who  wanted  to  flaunt  their  bodies.  Armani  was  one  of  the  first  designers  to  realize  that  gyms 
actually  existed,  that  they  had  moved  beyond  their  eccentric  bodybuilder  origins,  and  that  the  search 
for  a  better  physical  form  would  have  enormous  implications.  The  male  form  was  rapidly  changing, 
especially  among  young  professional  men,  and  that  change  would  require  a  whole  new  wardrobe— 
both  literally  and  figuratively. 

Armani's  foresight  did  not  occur  in  a  vacuum,  as  he  is  the  first  to  admit.  "In  the  1970s  there 
was  this  great  push  to  create  a  new  kind  of  jacket,"  he  recalls.  "I  remember  when  I  was  working  for 
[Nino]  Cerruti  coming  up  with  all  kinds  of  new  shapes,  but,  of  course,  nothing  ever  caught  on  in  a  big 
way.  It  was  then  that  I  realized,  well,  you  have  to  take  .  .  .  the  traditional  jacket,  which  has  been  with 
us  one  way  or  another  for  hundreds  of  years,  and  work  within  it.  And  then  there  was  the  idea  back 
then  of  wearing  a  blue  blazer  and  tie  over  jeans.  That  was  supposedly  the  ultimate,  and  though 
it  looks  dated  now,  it  opened  up  this  notion  of  a  jacket  as  sportswear.  The  problem  wasn't  the  jeans, 
it  was  the  jacket.  A  traditional  jacket  is  actually  very  limiting." 3 

Armani's  solution  was  both  noisy  and  subtle.  He  understood  intrinsically  the  yearning  for 
something  new,  but  he  also  realized  that  this  yearning  was  tempered  by  convention.  "Men's  fashion 
doesn't  exist  in  the  way  women's  fashion  does,"  he  notes.  "A  woman  sets  out  to  be  intentionally 
different  from  everyone  else.  A  man — most  men — want  to  be  individual,  but  in  a  context  that  has  its 
own  language."4  And  the  jacket  is  the  crucial  component  of  that  language.  "You  have  to  realize. 
Armani  says,  "that  just  moving  a  button  an  inch  or  two  changes  the  feel  dramatically.  Move  it  down, 
and  it's  very  relaxed  and  casual.  Move  it  up,  it's  more  dandified.  The  same  with  the  lapels:  narrow, 
high  lapels  recall  the  turn  of  the  century,  wide  ones  the  1940s  and  all  that  implies."5 

The  irony  is  that  Armani's  New  Look — and  it  was  as  important  as  Dior's  New  Look — sprang 
from  a  career  in  traditional  Italian  menswear.  Armani,  the  son  of  a  transport-company  accountant  in 
Piacenza,  forty  miles  south  of  Milan,  grew  up  during  World  War  II  and  can  still  recall  waking  up 
screaming  during  air  raids.  His  grandfather,  Lodovicio,  had  a  shop  in  Piacenza  that  made  wigs  for  the 
local  theater  company,  and  he  often  took  his  grandson  backstage  with  him,  an  experience  that  Giorgio 
found  both  frightening  and  exciting.  Armani's  parents  pressured  him  to  go  to  medical  school,  and  he 
endured  it  for  three  years  or  so  before  military  service  intervened.  In  1957,  while  finishing  his 
service,  Armani  took  a  job  with  La  Rinascente,  Italy's  largest  department-store  chain.  He  started  in 
window  display  but  quickly  moved  over  to  a  department  ominously  called  the  Office  of  Fashion  and 
Style.  "I  began  to  understand  about  fabrics  and  the  importance  of  rapport  with  the  public,"  he  says. 
"It's  one  thing  to  design  clothes,  but  it's  something  else  again  to  hang  around  the  sales  floor 
watching  the  public  react  to  them."6 

In  the  early  1960s  Armani  went  to  work  for  Cerruti,  who  was  shaking  up  his  family's  textile 
business  with  a  new  men's  fashion  line.  "You  look  respectable,"  Armani  remembers  Cerruti  telling 
him  during  their  first  interview.  "You  will  do." 7  The  new  Cerruti  collection  was  a  big  success  in  Europe, 
and  soon  Armani  had  offers  from  other  Italian  fashion  houses  to  design  collections  for  them.  At  first 
the  ever-cautious  Armani  resisted,  but  after  a  few  years  he  decided  to  leave  Cerruti  and  set  himself 
up  as  a  design  consultant  for  such  companies  as  Sicons,  Ungaro,  and  Zegna.  The  "design 
consultant,"  in  fact,  was  an  Italian  invention  that  came  into  being  as  the  country's  largest 
manufacturing  companies  tried  to  carve  out  a  place  for  themselves  in  the  burgeoning  world  of  high 
fashion.  Walter  Albini,  Karl  Lagerfeld,  and  Gianni  Versace  were  all  design  consultants  at  the  time,  and 
it  became  a  cynical  guessing  game  among  the  press  each  season  to  speculate  on  who  had  designed 
which  collection.  At  first,  a  company  usually  pretended  that  its  owner  had  actually  created  the 
collection  and  denied  any  knowledge  of  outside  consultants.  But  as  the  consultants  themselves 
became  more  famous,  companies  realized  that  their  names  had  a  commercial  value,  and  inevitably 


the  word  would  "leak"  that  Armani  had  worked  on  this  or  Lagerfeld  had  worked  on  that  The  whole 
system  came  full  circle  in  the  m,d-1980s.  when  the  consultants  started  to  demand  that,  despite  their 
high  fees,  their  names  could  not  be  connected  publicly  to  these  companies  in  any  way. 

Like  his  competitors,  Armani  used  the  income  to  establish  his  own  business,  and  In  1975 
Armani  and  his  partner,  Sergio  Galeotti.  launched  Giorgio  Armani  S.p.A.  Their  only  employee  was  a 
receptionist-a  student,  in  fact.  "We  paid  her  so  little  we  had  to  let  her  study  on  the  job."  Galeotti 
once  recalled.*  Success,  however,  came  quickly,  even  by  the  fashion  world's  standards.  In  1976,  the 
company's  first  full  year  of  operation,  sales  totaled  about  $90,000.  Five  years  later  the  figure  was 
$14  million.  Ten  years  later  it  was  above  $100  million.  Armani  often  credits  Galeotti  both  with  pushing 
him  to  open  his  own  house  and  with  providing  the  management  structure  that  allowed  the  company  to 
grow  so  phenomenally.  And  anyone  who  knew  the  strong,  fierce,  and  charming  Galeotti  does  not  doubt 
his  pivotal  role  in  the  history  of  Giorgio  Armani.  But  above  all  else,  the  house  of  Armani  rested  on  the 
design  talents  of  Armani  himself,  something  both  friends  and  competitors  acknowledge.  "Discovering 
a  man  like  Armani  is  impossible,  because  he  discovered  himself,"  Cerruti  once  observed  when  he 
was  asked  if  he  took  credit  for  inventing  Armani.  "He  had  a  natural  talent,  and  he  is  self-taught. 
He  would  have  stood  out  from  the  crowd  in  any  case.  Men  like  Armani  are  so  rare  that  when  one 
emerges  even  the  blind  are  aware  of  it."9 

It  certainly  did  not  take  very  long  for  the  world  to  discover  the  new  fashion  house  on  the  Via 
Durini.  Both  the  press  and  the  stores  responded  to  Armani  instantaneously.  And  so  did  Hollywood.  In 
fact,  the  movie  community  adopted  the  designer  more  fervently  than  any  other  group.  Both  Armani 
and  Galeotti  recognized  the  importance  of  that  in  marketing  his  name  and  growing  his  business.  When 
the  chance  to  participate  in  a  major  motion  picture — American  Gigolo — presented  itself,  neither 
Armani  nor  Galeotti  hesitated.  At  first  the  star  was  to  be  John  Travolta,  but  that  later  changed  to 
Richard  Gere,  which  was  a  major  stroke  of  luck  for  Armani.  Gere,  with  his  toned  body  and  handsome 
face,  was  the  perfect  Armani  model — sexy,  young,  and  slightly  dangerous.  And  he  clearly  loved 
clothes,  at  least  in  the  film.  American  Gigolo  was  a  visual  homage  to  Armani's  sleek  silhouette  and 
startlingly  subtle  colors.  If  anyone  had  any  doubts  about  the  commercial  viability  of  his  menswear — or 
its  equally  important  "coolness  factor" — American  Gigolo  wiped  them  away. 

Indeed,  from  the  very  beginning  Armani  has  been  aware  of  the  strategic  importance  of 
appearing  "cool."  Dressing  actors  was  one  way  of  reinforcing  that  strategy,  but  so  was  dressing  the 
studio  executives  and  producers  who  are  the  real  powers  in  Hollywood.  Armani  and  his  colleagues 
understood  the  growing  fascination  with  those  executives  long  before  anyone  else  in  fashion  did.  The 
Armani  company  went  out  of  its  way  to  encourage  agents  at  Creative  Artists  Agency,  for  example,  or 
vice  presidents  at  Twentieth  Century  Fox  to  visit  its  stores  in  Los  Angeles  and  New  York.  It  was  the 
first  fashion  company  to  employ  full-time  staff  members  in  both  New  York  and  Los  Angeles  to  identify 
celebrities— actors,  musicians,  sports  figures— it  should  seek  to  dress.  It  was  also  the  first— the  very 
first_fashion  house  to  understand  the  importance  of  Oscar  night  as  a  major  marketing  opportunity, 
for  both  men  and  women.  Now  that  the  lead-up  to  the  Academy  Awards  has  become  a  hysterical 
blitzkrieg,  with  competing  fashion  labels  offering  money  and  clothes  to  even  the  most  minor  players, 
it's  hard  to  remember  that  there  was  a  time  when  most  of  the  nominated  actresses  wore  dresses 
created  by  studio  costume  designers  and  most  of  the  actors  didn't  have  a  clue  who  made  their 
tuxedos.  Armani  changed  all  that. 

He  also  transformed  the  advertising  of  men's  fashion.  Armani  emphasized  the  sexuality  of  his 
clothes  in  a  way  that  had  never  been  done  before.  He  and  his  principal  photographer,  Aldo  Fallai, 
exulted  in  the  sensuality  of  his  materials  and  the  casualness  of  his  cut.  Shirts  could  be  worn  with  a 
tie  or  wide  open  to  reveal  a  hypertoned  chest.  Trousers  were  loose  but  revealing.  Suits  were  tailored 
to  flatter  and  flaunt.  Fabrics  had  a  sheerness  that  was  barely  acceptable  even  in  women's  fashion. 
The  styling  of  Armani's  advertising  was  unexpected  and  provocative:  shirts  without  collars,  jackets 


Michael  Ovitz.  former  head  of  Creative 
Artists  Agency,  wearing  Armani 


Ben  Affleck  and  Matt  Damon  at  the 
71st  Annual  Academy  Awards,  1999. 
wearing  Armani 


with  massive  pockets,  polo  knits  with  suits,  naked  torsos  everywhere.  "I  find  nothing  more  prissy  and 
ridiculous  than  a  grown  man  stepping  out  in  a  pristinely  clean  'outfit,'"  declared  Armani.  "There  reall 
is  nothing  more  demode  than  that."10 

The  unconstructed  blazer  was  inevitably  copied  by  other  designers  in  both  Europe  ano 
America,  and  by  the  late  1970s  it  had  become  an  industry  standard.  It  was  then,  and  only  then,  that 
Armani  reversed  himself  and  decided  to  experiment  with  the  classic  Savile  Row  suit.  Inspired  b 
movie  heroes  from  the  1930s  and  '40s,  Armani  put  back  all  of  the  elements  he  had  previousl 
pulled  out.  His  new  "power  suit,"  as  it  was  immediately  dubbed,  had  wider  lapels,  stronge 
shoulders,  and  both  padding  and  linings.  Armani  also  lowered  the  "gorge" — the  broadest  poin 
between  lapels — to  construct  what  would  become  the  most  tailored  garment  he  has  ever  created 
Later  still,  as  this  look  was  copied  and  risked  becoming  a  caricature  of  itself,  Armani  changec 
course  again — and  took  the  entire  world  with  him.  In  the  late  1980s  his  reinvention  of  the  sack  suit 
that  creaky  old  American  institution,  was  not  only  a  testament  to  his  influence,  but  also  to  his 
mastery  of  technique.  Who  else  could  make  oversized  jackets  and  wide  pants  look  not  only 
fashionable,  but  sultry?  Who  else  could  have  an  army  of  downtrodden  male  models — shoulders 
stooped,  hands  in  pockets,  eyes  averted — march  down  a  runway  and  have  millions  of  men  wanting  to 
look  just  like  them— at  $2,000  a  suit? 

Ah,  the  prices.  Armani  does  not  come  cheap.  Nor  does  he  have  to.  The  success  of  his 
career  is  not  explained  simply  by  design  genius.  There  is  a  commercial  powerhouse  at  work  here  as 
well.  Since  1986,  after  the  death  of  Galeotti,  Armani  has  not  only  been  his  company's  chief 
designer  but  also  its  chief  business  strategist.  Occasionally,  he  will  bemoan  his  backbreaking  work 
schedule,  but  only  occasionally.  Behind  the  Technicolor  blue  eyes  and  under  the  perfect  white  hair 
lies  the  brain  of  a  brilliant  businessman  who  has  enjoyed  his  pivotal  role  in  shaping  how  the  fashion 
industry  works  today. 


Fall/Winter  1979-80 


Spring/Summer  1994 


In  recent  years  much  has  been  made  of  Armani's  aloof  lifestyle.  He  is  suspicious  of 
outsiders,  the  refrain  goes,  which  is  why  he  lives  just  buildings  away  from  his  office  and  surrounds 
himself  with  a  small  clique  of  friends,  most  of  whom  work  for  him.  He  almost  never  leaves  Milan, 
observers  note,  and  when  he  does  it  is  to  go  to  a  small  desert  isle  near  Sicily  called  Pantelleria.  He 
refuses  to  delegate  power,  they  say,  and  when  he  does  surrender  some  it  is  almost  inevitably 
snatched  back  soon  after.  Armani,  they  claim,  revels  in  his  image  as  a  fashion  monk,  like  Balenciaga 
before  him. 

In  some  ways  the  naysayers  are  absolutely  right.  Armani  does  love  his  reputation  as  someone 
apart  from  the  herd.  "Let  the  others  do  it  their  way,"  he  once  pronounced  royally.  "We  will  do  it 
ours."11  Still,  the  entire  thrust  of  his  design  career— in  menswear  as  well  as  womenswear— has  been 
inclusive.  Armani  loves  seeing  people  wearing  his  clothes  and— loath  as  he  is  to  admit  it— loves  to 
know  that  there  is  a  whole  army  of  designers  who  have  copied  his  style.  His  mission,  a  rather 
democratic  mission  at  that,  has  been  to  return  elegance  to  clothing  without  abandoning  the  ease  and 
comfort  that  crept  in  during  the  1960s.  His  ideal  model  may  be  tall,  good-looking,  and  muscled,  but 
the  joy  actually  comes  when  someone  short,  bald,  and  fleshy  looks  magnificent  in  his  clothes. 
Fashion,  as  we  all  know,  is  about  many  things.  But  it  is  mostly  about  beauty— and  the  bringing  of 
beauty  to  places  it  has  never  been  before. 


Notes 

1.  Quoted  in  Marian  McEvoy.  "Armani's  Clean  Sweep,"  W,  October  26,  1979,  p.  28. 

2.  Quoted  in  Andre  Leon  Talley,  "The  Blazer's  Edge,"  Women's  Wear  Daily,  May  16,  1978,  p.  20. 

3.  Quoted  in  Mark  Ganem,  "Armani:  King  of  the  Jacket,"  Daily  News  Record,  April  3,  1989,  p.  11. 

4.  Ibid. 

5.  Ibid. 

6.  Quoted  in  Jay  Cocks,  "Suiting  Up  for  Easy  Street,"  Time,  April  5.  1982.  p.  65. 

7.  Ibid. 

8.  Ibid. 

9.  Ibid. 

10.  Quoted  in  Ganem,  p.  11. 

11.  Quoted  m  "Armanis  Season."  Women's  Wear  Daily,  February  24,  1987,  p.  1. 


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ANDROGYNY:      UNDOING     GENDER 
by  Susan  Cross 


Spring/Summer  1996  3n  andfOgy 


Growing  out  of  the  anti-Establishment  protests  of  the  1960s  and  the  burgeoning  feminist  movement, 
new  attitudes  toward  once-rigid  definitions  of  gender  developed  in  the  1970s.  This  outlook  soon 
manifested  itself  in  new  styles  of  dress  that  broke  with  traditional  patterns  of  gendered  fashion.  While 
much  of  the  focus  was  on  the  constrictions  of  women's  dress,  Armani  began  his  career  by  freeing 
men  from  their  own  limiting  uniforms,  allowing  them  to  express  a  more  sensual  side  traditionally 
associated  with  the  feminine.  Ripping  out  the  stiff  lining  of  men's  suiting  and  substituting 
conventional  fabrics  with  luxurious  cashmere  and  silk,  Armani  made  clothes  that  accentuated  the 
previously  hidden  male  form.  Creating  clothes  that  draped  softly  over  hips  and  chest,  the  designer 
introduced  a  more  casual  and  sexier  look  for  once  buttoned-up  men. 

Not  long  after  his  deconstructed  jacket  revolutionized  menswear,  Armani  began  designing 
them  for  women.  As  he  eroticized  male  dress,  he  provided  women  with  a  similar  look  of  comfort  and 
ease  while  maintaining  both  a  sexy  elegance  and  a  look  of  intelligence  and  confidence.  In  addition  to 
his  fuller  cuts,  Armani  cleverly  used  materials  in  unexpected  ways,  adopting  womenswear  fabrics  such 
as  wool  crepe  for  men's  suits  and  designing  T-shirts  for  professional  women  in  other  woolens 
traditionally  seen  on  men.  He  also  eschewed  the  dark  hues  of  traditional  menswear  and  the  pastel 
colors  conventionally  assigned  to  womenswear,  and  chose  instead  a  neutral  palette  of  taupe  and 
beige  for  both. 

Twenty-five  years  after  Armani  designed  his  first  collection,  he  continues  to  acknowledge  the 
mutability  of  gender  by  making  clothing  for  men  and  women  that  is  nearly  indistinguishable.  He  has 
looked  to  other  cultures'  vestimentary  customs  to  find  softer,  more  acceptable  feminine  modes  of 
dress  for  men,  adopting  the  loose  tunics  of  Northern  Africa  and  India,  harem  pants,  and  the  sarong  of 
the  South  Pacific  and  Asia  for  both  his  men's  and  women's  collections.  In  his  subversion  of 
customary  sartorial  rules  of  gender,  Armani  has  also  inverted  conventions,  allowing  men  to  play  a 
more  feminine  role  and  women  to  adopt  a  more  masculine  mien.  The  result  is  a  kind  of  cross-dressing 
that  for  much  of  the  twentieth  century  has  been  limited  to  women.  As  witnessed  in  advertisements 
from  the  spring/summer  1995  and  1998  campaigns,  for  example,  Armani  switched  the  accessories 
associated  with  one  gender  for  those  of  the  other,  dressing  a  woman  in  a  sleek  pinstriped  suit  and 
tie,  and  a  man  in  a  relaxed,  zippered  shirt  with  a  silk  paisley  fringed  scarf. 

Armani  plays  with  such  traditional  signifiers  of  gender,  both  undermining  and  capitalizing  on 
their  cultural  meaning.  In  an  image  from  the  fall/winter  1996-97  campaign,  a  woman  sits  on  a 
motorcycle  in  a  pose  reminiscent  of  Marlon  Brando.  She  wears  a  collared  shirt  and  tie,  like  those 
usually  seen  on  men,  on  top  of  which  is  layered  a  floral  shirt  and  necklace  more  typical  of  a  woman's 
wardrobe.  In  an  image  from  spring/summer  1997  a  man  is  shown  wearing  a  similar  floral  shirt,  but  in 
place  of  the  tie  is  a  more  fluid  scarf  draped  casually  around  h.s  neck.  His  hair  and  face  hardly  differ 
from  that  of  the  woman  in  the  earlier  photograph.  His  delicate  looks  and  the  sinuous  textiles  he  wears 
hark  back  to  the  1930s  and  the  male  film  stars  of  the  time,  such  as  Tyrone  Power,  who  was  framed  in 
both  a  feminized  and  eroticized  light. 

A  fall/winter  1993-94  image  exemplifies  Armani's  obfuscat.on  of  traditional  gender.  A  man 
and  a  woman  both  wear  versions  of  a  three-piece  suit.  The  sloping  shoulders  of  the  man's  suit  appear 
less  armorlike  than  that  of  his  counterpart,  whose  suit  is  more  formal  and  rigid,  with  a  high,  stiff 
collar  and  thick,  padded  shoulders.  While  she  maintains  a  slightly  more  assertive  stance,  the  man 
has  traded  a  matching  waistcoat  for  a  softer  vest,  which  .ends  him  an  a-r  of  leisure.  Combining^ 
transposing,  and  confusing  conventional  male  and  female  attributes  in  this  way.  Arman.  has  created 
nous  aesthetic  that  liberates  clothing  from  its  traditionally  gendered  strictures. 


f/i 


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left:  Fall/Winter  1996-97,  right:  Spring/Summer  1997 


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left:  Spring/Summer  1998.  right:  Spring/Summer  1995 
following  two  pages:  Spr.ng/Summer  1997.  Fall/Winter  1995-96 


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Fall/Winter  1993-94 


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THE      ARMANI      LOOK 
by  Catherine  Perry 


All  the  elements  of  style— not  just  clothes,  but  hair,  makeup,  even  models— are  an  integral  part  of 
defining  a  designer's  signature  image  or  "look."  In  a  world  based  on  invention,  adaptation,  and  often 
fickleness,  the  challenge  for  fashion  designers  to  produce  the  look  of  the  moment  can  directly  conflict 
with  the  ultimate  task  of  maintaining  a  particular  identity.  Consistently,  for  more  than  twenty  years, 
Armani's  distinctive  style  has  been  clean,  uncontrived,  and  elegant,  distinguished  by  an 
uncomplicated  and  refined  ease. 

Typical  of  this  look  is  the  interpretation  of  urban  business  style  represented  by  examples  from 
Armani's  fall/winter  1984-85  and  spring/summer  1998  campaigns,  which  invoke  the  seriousness  of 
a  powerful  "player"  softened  by  an  easy,  latent  informality  characteristic  of  the  designer's  clothes. 
The  Armani  woman  often  assesses  her  world  through  generously  shadowed,  smoky-lidded  eyes  that 
smolder  under  penciled  brows.  Her  skin  and  lips  are  pale  and  matte.  Rather  than  relying  solely  on  the 
standard  stable  of  instantly  recognizable  faces,  Armani  uses  less-famous  models  whose  features 
project  intelligence,  power,  and  self-confidence. 

Nothing  Armani  does  is  rigid  or  stiff,  and  even  his  more  coiffed  heads  are  swept  back  and 
soft.  Hair  for  men  and  women  is  generally  the  same  length,  the  slightly  longish  male  locks  implying  a 
looseness  and  freedom.  Even  when  hair  is  dressed  and  controlled,  as  pictured  here  in  the  fall/winter 
1991-92  and  fall/winter  1985-86  campaigns,  it  is  run  through  with  the  same  subdued  sexiness  and 
mussed  elegance.  An  exception  is  the  slicked-back,  shoe-polish  hair  influenced  by  theater  and  film  of 
the  1930s  seen  in  the  designer's  campaigns  from  fall/winter  1990-91  and  fall/winter  1992-93. 
which  recall  the  famously  androgynous  look  of  Marlene  Dietrich  and  the  arch.  Deco  style  of  Adolphe 
Menjou.  The  parallel  treatment  of  men  and  women  in  this  campaign  mimics  the  ungendered  feel  of 
many  of  Armani's  clothes.  This  urbane,  cosmopolitan  sensibility  appropriates  a  bygone  glamour  while 
projecting  the  designer's  invariably  modern,  sophisticated  feel. 

More  recently,  in  his  campaigns  for  fall/winter  1998-99  and  fall/winter  1997-98.  for 
example.  Armani  has  responded  to  the  street  with  a  slightly  edgy  and  tousled,  hand-through-the-hair 
feel.  Even  with  this  more  youthful  image.  Armani  maintains  a  familiar  sophisticated,  smart  identity. 
Rather  than  subverting  the  traditional  elegance  of  Armani,  this  look  of  "mad,  bad,  and  dangerous 
to  know"  only  informs  it  with  a  new.  sharper  bite.  Ultimately,  the  Armani  style  resides  in  the 
unimpeachable  authority  of  the  clothes,  and  in  the  confidence  and  attitude  they  inspire. 


Fall/Winter  1998-99 


Fall/Winter  1997-98 


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Fall/Winter  1984-85 


107 


Spring/Summer  1998 


Fall/Winter  1990-91 


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Fall/Winter  1992-93 


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Fall/Winter  1991-92 


Fall/Winter  1985-86 


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7 


TRADITIONALIS 


REDOING      GENDER 


by  Susan  Cross 


left:  Spring/Summer  2000 
following  two  pages:  Special  collection, 
uniforms  designed  for  the  Italian  military 
commissioned  by  L'Uomo  Vogue,  1977 


While  Armani  subverts  traditional  gender  dress  codes  with  his  more  androgynous  designs,  he  also 
creates  garments  that  reinforce  stereotypes  of  difference.  Following  the  iconic,  genderless  suits  down 
the  Armani  runway  might  be  embroidered  Scarlett  O'Hara  gowns  for  women  or  Stanley  Kowalski 
"muscle  tees"  for  men.  These  more  traditional  uniforms  of  feminine  and  masculine  identity  seem  to 
radiate  a  certain  playfulness,  an  air  of  dressing  up  from  an  attic  trunk  filled  with  clothing  from  another 
time.  Indeed,  Armani  has  likened  his  clothes  to  costumes,  and  it  appears  that  one  can  inhabit 
a  myriad  of  personae  by  wearing  them.  Dressing  for  both  men  and  women  is  treated  as  a 
masquerade:  the  powerful  executive  can  become  a  sultry  femme  fatale  or  coy  princess,  and  the 
sensitive  dandy  can  transform  himself  into  a  heroic  adventurer  or  confident  jock.  The  unstable  nature 
of  gender  constructions  becomes  clear  in  the  range  of  roles  Armani  offers  us. 

The  same  designer  credited  with  contributing  to  the  liberation  of  women's  fashions  in  the 
footsteps  of  Gabrielle  "Coco"  Chanel  has  also  mastered  a  sartorial  tradition  that  projects  pure 
femininity.  For  his  fall/winter  1978-79  womenswear  collection.  Armani  paired  flamboyant  boas  with 
heavy,  coarse  wool  jackets  and  suits.  Combining  in  one  ensemble  this  fetish  of  hyperfemininity  with  a 
fashion  convention  associated  with  the  masculine  mimics  the  same  freedom  of  choice  that  Armani 
offers  in  one's  closet:  hanging  right  next  to  the  serious  black  Armani  suit  Michelle  Pfeiffer  wore  to  the 
Academy  Awards  in  1989  might  be  the  sultry,  transparent,  beaded  skirt  and  tank  she  wore  to  the 
Emmy  Awards  in  1998. 

An  advertisement  for  the  spring/summer  2000  women's  collection  features  a  triad  of  Lolita- 
like  beauties  in  barely-there  bikinis,  sheer  hot  pants,  and  cropped  tanks,  striking  poses  reminiscent 
of  pinup  or  calendar  girls.  This  representation  of  woman  (or  girl)  as  object  of  desire  is  one  of  a 
number  of  guises  traditionally  offered  to  women  that  we  can  now  choose  to  appropriate  and  re-create. 
Armani  offers  other  such  guises,  too:  a  sequined  red  ball  gown  with  ballooning  skirt  from  fall/winter 
1993-94  elicits  memories  of  a  1950s  film  star,  while  a  reserved  plum  gown  from  fall/winter  1989-90 
recalls  a  patrician  grande  dame  from  the  1910s.  A  Belle  Epoque-inspired  black  dress  with  veil  and 
gloves  from  spring/summer  1989  conjures  an  image  of  the  enchanting  young  widow,  a  role  that 
straddles  the  boundary  between  fantasy  subject  and  object:  with  the  experience  and  worldliness  her 
position  implies,  the  widow  can  be  seen  as  an  independent  character  in  control,  a  seductress,  or  as 
the  innocent  prey  of  others'  desire  without  the  shelter  of  her  husband/protector. 

For  men.  too,  Armani  expands  the  cast  of  characters.  The  fantastic  identities  that  men  have 
classically  adopted  through  clothing  are  those  that  tend  to  be  formed  in  boyhood:  the  soldier,  the 
cowboy,  the  athlete,  and  the  adventurer.  Accessible  in  the  form  of  fatigues,  trench  coats,  and  aviator 
jackets,  these  personae  offer  the  nerd  inside  or  the  boy  next  door  a  chance  to  be  a  hero-though  in 
fact  the  macho  ideal  that  this  clothing  represents  may  exist  only  in  the  apparel.  Early  in  his  career, 
Armani  appropriated  the  trench  coat,  a  remnant  of  World  War  I  that  later  became  a  symbol  of  the 
romant.c  explorer  or  maverick  detective.  In  an  image  from  Armani's  fall/winter  1975-76  menswear 
campaign  a  group  of  men  in  trench  coats  and  Eisenhower  jackets  stare  out  at  the  camera  with  the 
nonchalant  assurance  of  seasoned  m.l-tarymen.  Th.s  bravura  is  translated  into  a  sleeveless  tank  and 
drawstring  pants  in  the  spring/summer  1997  collection.  Emphasizing  a  muscular  phys.que.  the 
sleeveless  tank  or  T-shirt  can  signify  both  the  strength  and  discipline  of  an  athlete  or  the  brut.sh 
sensuality  of  a  laborer.  A  corduroy  hunting  jacket  worn  over  a  vest  and  scarf  dat.ng  from  fall/winter 
1993-94  gives  men  the  chance  to  re-create  the  role  of  the  country  gentleman  or  master  of  the  hunt, 
though  the  casual,  slightly  mussed  styling  alludes  to  a  more  earthy  Incarnation:  the  gamekeeper  from 
D    H.  Lawrence's  Lady  Chatterley*  Lover,  who  plays  the  part  of  Lord  of  the  manor. 


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120 


left  to  right:  Fall/Winter  1993-94;  Fall/Winter  1989-90;  Spring/Summer  1992;  Spring/Summer  1989 


left 


to  right:  Spr.ng/Summer  1997;  Fall/Winter  1993-94;  Spr.ng/Summer  1982;  Fall/W.nler  1986-87;  following  two  pages    Fall/Winter  1975-76 


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•    .    - 


CHANGING      ROLES 
by  Susan  Cross 


As  women  asserted  themselves  in  the  workplace  in  the  1970s,  "dressing  for  success"  entered  the 
fashion  lexicon.  Armani  had  begun  designing  chicly  masculinized  jackets  and  suits  for  women  as  early 
as  1976.  and  by  the  mid-1980s  the  Armani  label  had  become  synonymous  with  the  power  suit 
Female  executives  dressed  in  the  elegant  but  serious  Armani-designed  ensembles,  which  were  at 
once  symbols  of  success  and  a  way  to  obtain  it.  His  loosely  draped  suits  drew  attention  away  from 
the  feminized  body,  and  their  broad,  padded  shoulders  lent  a  sense  of  authority  and  protection  like  a 
suit  of  armor. 

For  some,  the  suit  symbolized  the  equality  many  feminists  were  fighting  for.  For  others, 
it  represented  another  patriarchal  convention  that  equated  success  in  the  workplace  with  a  male  role 
model.  Many  women  did  not  want  to  lose  the  choice  to  be  feminine  and  believed  that  equality  should 
not  be  predicated  on  being  like— even  dressing  like— a  man.  Armani's  suits  are  often  lauded  for 
having  offered  the  first  credible  option,  with  their  soft,  sensuous  fabrics,  fluid  lines,  and 
nonconstricting  cuts.  But  at  the  same  time,  the  designer  also  provided  women  a  more  conventional 
expression  of  femininity,  in  the  form  of  slinky  dresses  and  flowery  frocks.  In  other  words,  Armani 
allowed  women  to  escape  the  burden  of  being  either/or. 

Suggesting  the  multivalent  nature  of  identity,  advertisements  for  both  the  Armani  suit  and  his 
more  conventional  gowns  have  asserted  the  image  of  the  successful  woman  at  work  and  at  play,  by 
day  and  by  night.  The  scenarios  they  describe  seem  to  offer  women  more  than  an  image  of  equality, 
but  also  one  of  control.  A  campaign  from  spring/summer  1992.  for  example,  features  a  woman  in 
formal  eveningwear,  presumably  ready  for  a  night  out,  seated  next  to  a  man  dressed— or  more 
accurately,  underdressed — in  pajamas  and  loungewear.  Reclining,  chest  bared  and  in  a  state  of 
repose  within  the  Moroccan  interior,  her  companion  is  reminiscent  of  an  Odalisque — conventionally  a 
libidinal  representation  of  the  feminine  and  the  exotic. 

This  inversion  of  customary  roles  is  similarly  evident  in  ads  for  the  spring/summer  1989  and 
1991  collections  and  in  another  from  the  spring/summer  1992  campaign,  in  which  women  dressed  in 
tailored  suits  are  accompanied  by  partners  who  sport  a  more  casual  look.  In  the  earliest  image,  an 
implied  economic  hierarchy  is  coupled  with  one  of  experience:  the  woman  appears  considerably  more 
worldly  than  her  boyish  counterpart,  whose  shorts  suit  (reminiscent  of  the  uniforms  of  young  English 
schoolboys)  infantilizes  him  to  a  degree.  At  the  same  time,  this  could  be  considered  a  form  of 
liberation,  an  opportunity  for  men  to  relinquish  the  cultural  expectation  for  them  to  be  in  charge; 
instead,  women  can  take  that  role.  In  an  image  from  the  fall/winter  1999-2000  collection,  two 
women  unabashedly  dance  together,  no  longer  needing  a  man  to  take  the  lead. 


Fall/Winter  1999-2000 


> 


/ 


/ 


left:  Sprmg/Summer  1992.  right:  Spr.ng/Summer  1992;  followmg  two  pages:  Spring/Summer  1992.  Spnng/Summer  1989 


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132 


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135 


15 


14.  Man's  blouson  jacket  ensemble;  jacket:  ca.  fall/winter  1978-79;  pants:  ca.  fall/winter  1982-83.  15.  Man's  shirtjacket  ensemble;  shirtjacket 
ca.  fall/winter  1982-83;  pants:  ca.  1980-85.  16.  Man's  sports  Jacket  and  sweater  vest  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95.  17.  Woman's  jacket  and 
skirt  ensemble,  spring/summer  1987.  18.  Mans  vest  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95.  19.  Man's  jacket  and  sweater  vest  ensemble,  fall/winter 
1993-94.     Historically  womenswear,  with  its  accommodation  and  encouragement  of  decorative  expression,  has  been  the  primary  vehicle  for  dress 
with  explicit  stylistic  quotations.  In  Armani's  oeuvre.  however,  it  is  in  menswear  that  references  to  regional,  historical,  and  occupational  precedents 


appear  most  dearly:  an  academ.c  .water  vest  and  .weeds,  and  an  ensemble  worthy  o.  a  strol,  through  the  Tyro,,  are  gently  edged  to  re.memen,  by 
the  designer,  nuanced  accret.ons  of  texture  and  pattern.  wh„e  retain.ng  the  essent.al  charaoter.at.es  of  the.,  sources.  In  Arman.'s  ensemb.es  for 
women,  even  those  w„h  „.«.,..  duectly  appropriated  from  menswear.  such  references  are  often  so  mutated  the,  the  ongma,  ,nsp,ra„on  has  been  ... 
but  obliterated.  In  the  woman's  ensemble  above,  on.y  the  textHe.  can  be  associated  w,.h  the  commonp.ace  menswear  co.rdm.tlon  of  pla.d  Jacket. 

and  solid  trousers. 


20.  Man's  sports  jacket  ensemble,  fall/winter  1992-93.  21.  Woman's  suit,  fall/winter  1979-80  22.  Man's  three-piece  suit,  fall/winter  1990-91 
23.  Woman's  pantsuit,  fall/winter  1998-99.  24.  Man's  suit,  fall/winter  1990-91.  Armani's  collections  for  both  men  and  women  suggest  a  variety 
of  strategies  In  tailoring.  While  his  designs  are  evidently  anchored  in  the  traditional  metier  of  the  tailor's  art.  which  uses  the  shaped  pattern  piece  to 
establish  fit.  Armani  has  extended  the  possibilities  of  the  cut,  subtly  in  his  menswear  and  more  aggressively  in  his  womenswear.  The  gray  wool 


24 


woman's  suit  above  left  is  g.ven  a  draped  c.nch  at  the  waist  that  is  ant.thet.cal  to  the  tailors  craft  and  more  character.st.c  of  a  dressmaker's 
approach.  On  the  other  hand,  the  plastron-like  lapel  treatment  of  the  woman's  pantsuit  to  the  right  alludes  to  the  hand.work  of  that  ult.mate 
practitioner  of  traditional  tailoring  skills,  the  maker  of  bespoke  military  uniforms. 


25 


25.  Woman's  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1994-95.  26.  Woman's  pantsult,  fall/winter  1995-96.  27.  Woman's  three-piece  pantsuit,  fall/winter 
1993-94  28.  Woman's  Jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1993-94.  29.  Woman's  pantsult,  ca.  fall/winter  1985-86.  30.  Woman's  suit,  fall/winter 
1994-95.  More  than  any  other  article  of  dress,  the  jacket  was  the  precipitant  of  the  Armani  revolution.  Fitted  or  loose,  paired  with  narrow  pants  or 
trousers  eased  to  the  fullness  of  a  skirt,  the  Armani  jacket— despite  the  restricted  number  of  its  components— has  been  subject  to  a  seemingly 


30 


endless  stream  of  d.screte  permutations.  Armani's  Innovations,  beyond  the  ev,scera.,on  of  excess  paddmg.  can  be  as  drama.*  as  the  reformats  or 
eradicate  of  a  lapel.  or  ,h.  ar„cu,a„on  or  camouflaging  of  the  wa.st.  More  often,  however,  they  are  as  subtle  as  the  slightly  sh.ttad  stance  of 
buttons:  generally  a  raised  placement  for  women,  a  lowered  one  for  men. 


142 


32 


31.  Mans  suit,  fall/winter  1982-83.  32.  Man's  suit,  fall/winter  1978-79.  33.  Woman's  pants  ensemble  with  oversklrt,  fall/winter  1996-97 
34.  Man's  suit,  ca.  fall/winter  1995-96.     The  first  evolutionary  step  of  the  Armani  power  suit  for  men  was  in  the  direction  of  the  reduction  and 
elimination  of  any  superfluous  infrastructure.  As  Cristobal  Balenciaga  had  done  in  his  haute-couture  collections  for  women  in  the  1950s  and  1960s. 
Armani  strives  to  achieve  his  shaping  almost  exclusively  through  the  hang  of  fabric  and  ingenious  seaming.  Unlike  the  Spanish  master,  however. 


33 


Armanr*  impu,se  to  g,ea,e,  .ape  and  sensua.U,  has  resuited  ,n  an  almos,  flu,d  e,p,ess,pn  o,  the  peoy.  ft.  <esp,,e  «.  eas,  g      ^> .-       » 
fro.  stress  ,„to  colon.  .man,,  P.s.ness  Press  nas  re.a.nea  ,ts  ao,a  „  au,Ho,„,  ,  tne  wo.ans  onsen,,  »™°« ^^   f 
,e  induces  tne  «  o,  ma,e  Pus.ness  attire  to  an  put,.,  .,herw,se  eharaeter.zed  oy  a  breezy  ,„,.rme.„y.  tnu.  reve,s,ng  tne  .oaus  ope.an. 

generally  characterizes  his  menswear  approach. 


144 


35.  Woman's  jacket  and  pants,  spring/summer  1998.  36.  Woman's  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1995-96.  37.  Woman's  "Bermuda"  suit 
spring/summer  1992.  38.  Woman's  suit,  fall/winter  1980-81.  Even  Armani's  women's  ensembles  that  Invoke  the  character.st.cally  linear  cut  c 
traditional  menswear  reta.n  an  essent.al  sensuality.  The  two  ensembles  w.th  black  jackets  and  str.ped  trousers  suggest  the  Br.t.sh  "city  suit. 


though  they  have  shed  the  convent.ona,  wa.stcoat  ahd  sh.rt.  Other  boardroom  ensembles  are  leavened  by  the  exposure  o.  leg:  Bermuda  shorts  are 
-eveahhg  wh.le  ma,n,a,n,ng  a  business-like  modesty,  and  an  elongated  double-breasted  jacket  allows,  but  controls,  the  splaymg  o.  a  wrap  .Wrt. 


39.  Woman's  "muscle  tee"  top  and  skirt,  fall/winter  1998-99.  40.  Woman's  cowl  top  and  pants,  fall/winter  1998-99.  41.  Woman's  jacket  and 
pants,  fall/winter  1998-99.  42.  Woman's  evening  gown  and  coat,  fall/winter  1998-99.  43.  Woman's  evening  gown  and  jacket,  fall/winter 

1998-99.     While  gender  transpositions  from  menswear  to  womenswear  occurred  prior  to  the  twentieth  century,  especially  in  riding  habits,  it  is  only 


42 


m  the  last  hundred  years  that  they  have  gained  such  wide  currency  i 


n  other  forms  of  womenswear.  From  "m 


uscle  tees"  and  hooded  sweatshirts 


interpreted  for  dressed-up  sportswear,  to  Bond  Street  suitings  applied  to  women's  jacket 
parameters  of  the  feminine  encroachment  into  the  masculine  wardrobe. 


nd  coats  over  evening  gowns.  Armani  has  extended  the 


148 


44.  Woman's  evening  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1991-92.  45.  Woman's  evening  suit,  fall/winter  1991-92.  46.  Woman's  evening  ensemble, 

fall/winter  1985-86.     Often.  Armani  embellishes  textiles  representative  of  the  traditional  male  wardrobe— herringbone,  glen  plaid,  rep-striped  si 
twill— with  a  variety  of  sequined  and  beaded  embroideries.  By  using  sequins  to  glaze  over  a  printed  rendering  of  a  glen  plaid,  or  by  disposing  bugle 


beads  d.rect.onany  to  create  a  dimens.onal  relief  to  herringbone.  Arman,  appl.es  asso 
and  eveningwear. 


tions  of  menswear  and  daywear  to  womenswear 


150 


47.  Woman's  evening  gown,  fall/winter  1986-87.  48.  Woman's  evening  ensemble,  fall/winter  1992-93.  49.  Woman's  evening  gown,  fall/winter 
1992-93    50.  Woman's  evening  gown,  fall/winter  1992-93.  51.  Woman's  halter-top  evening  gown,  fall/winter  1997-98.   52.  Man's  tuxedo. 

spring/summer  2000.     The  Armani  tuxedo  emerged  in  the  1980s  as  the  ubiquitous  formal  garb  of  choice  among  men  who  sought  eveningwear  that 


52 


,     t.h.P  rut    in  a  ser.es  of  playfully  elegant  transpos.tions  for  women.  Arman. 
retained  all  the  elegant  sobr.ety  of  the  style  with  a  new.  flatteringly  comfortable  cut.  In  a 
has  taken  the  venerable  tuxedo  into  the  surreal  and  elegant  world  of  Cecil  Beaton  and  E.sa  Sch.aparelh. 


152 


53.  Woman's  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1998-99.  Armani's  work  often  resists  the  assignment  of  specific  sources,  historical  or  conceptual.  Here, 
a  heathered  wool  boucle  suggests  the  pointi Hist  speckling  of  gray  flannel,  but  the  sturdy  construction  of  that  hardy  fabric  is  dissolved  into  an  airy 
weave  that  exposes  the  body.  The  design  creates  an  ensemble  that  in  its  mixed  semiotic  signals  alludes  to  one  thing  while  presenting  its  opposite. 


THE      SANDS      OF     TIME:      HISTORICISM      AND      ORIENTALISM      IN 
ARMANI'S      DESIGNS      FOR      WOMEN 


Caroline  Rennolds  Milbank 


Few  clothes  speak  more  eloquently  of  modern  life  than  those  of  Giorgio  Armani,  who  has  defined 
professional  dress  for  both  sexes  for  a  quarter  of  the  twentieth  century  and  beyond.  His  influence  is 
immeasurable.  An  Armani  suit,  with  its  almost  palpable  allure,  has  something  of  the  power  of  a 
talisman.  Yet  behind  the  contemporary  simplicity  and  ease  of  his  clothes  (even  at  their  most 
minimal),  there  often  lies  a  hint  of  autre  temps,  autre  moeurs.  Sometimes  the  reference  is 
ambiguous:  a  curved  line  might  suggest  anything  from  a  suffragette's  suit  to  a  Polynesian  pareo. 
Occasionally  the  translation  is  direct,  providing  a  new  screen  through  which  to  view  another  time  or 
a  seemingly  distant  culture. 

Well  before  the  first  fashion  designer  existed  (and  most  agree  that  Charles  Frederick  Worth 
created  the  profession  when  he  opened  his  couture  house  in  1858),  fashion  often  invigorated  itself  by 
looking  to  the  past.  Such  borrowing  was  the  essence  of  fancy  dress,  a  rage  that  spanned  centuries 
and  continents  (and  that  is  the  ancestor  of  Halloween  and  pre-Lenten  celebrations  today).  Donning  a 
costume  has  never  stopped  having  the  appeal  of  stepping  outside  one's  own  skin  temporarily.  And 
there  is  romance  in  wearing  an  article  of  contemporary  fashion  that  features  revived  details  from 
some  time  ago.  In  fashion,  a  dress  made  in  one  period  in  homage  to  another  offers  a  look  at  both 
times,  emphasizing  the  similarities,  differences,  or  just  plain  tension  between  the  two. 

Historical  references  in  Armani's  clothes  provide  a  bridge  between  a  lost  world — whose 
elegance  can  be  viewed  in  retrospect  as  oppressive — and  a  contemporary  reality,  in  which  sterility  can 
be  the  price  paid  for  greater  freedoms.  Combating  some  of  the  harsher  elements  of  the  brave  new 
world  are  Armani's  winsome  details  from  the  past.  Frogs  that  might  have  marched  in  formation  down 
the  front  of  a  hussar's  uniform  lie  sinuously  across  the  front  of  one  of  his  crepe  de  chine  blouses. 
Bias-cut  cuffs  flutter  languidly  like  eighteenth-century  engageants.  Evening  skirts,  in  tulle  and  chiffon, 
have  the  fragile  heft  of  those  worn  by  Edgar  Degas's  bronze  ballet  dancers.  Jackets  evoke  the 
medieval  doublets  or  pages'  tunics  of  Florentine  painting,  not  just  in  their  shape  and  line,  but  also  in 


Fall/Winter  1994-95 


Fall/Winter  1992-93 


their  mien:  Armani's  clothes  share  a  stillness  and  precision  with  figures  in  a  painting  by  Giotto. 

It  is  almost  impossible  for  a  fashion  designer  not  to  be  indelibly  marked  by  the  era  ot  his 
youth.  For  Armani,  the  1930s  were  formative  in  defining  his  spare,  elegant,  fluid  aesthetic.  Any  one  of 
his  bare,  almost  liquid  evening  dresses  summons  the  time  vividly.  But  it  is  the  use  of  men's  clothes 
from  the  golden  age  of  male  elegance— the  period  between  the  two  world  wars— to  inspire  women's 
dress  that  is  the  dominant  theme  of  Armani's  work.  At  his  most  playful,  he  reinterprets  articles  of 
male  attire  entirely.  A  man's  tie,  untied,  becomes  a  barer-than-bare  evening  blouse,  the  old  school 
stripes  rendered  in  sequins  and  beads.  French  cuffs  comprise  the  entire  strapless  bodice  of  an 
evening  gown.  A  man's  bow  tie  forms  the  bodice  of  another  evening  gown,  or  hangs  like  a  watch  fob 

from  a  woman's  pocket. 

Menswear  is  the  source  of  such  favored  materials  as  chalk-  and  pinstripes  and  plaids  (a  gray 
plaid  with  a  black-and-white  grid  is  to  Armani  as  black-and-white  houndstooth  was  to  Christian  Dior). 
These  might  visually  resemble  their  tweed  and  woolen  forebears,  but.  updated  in  blends  of  wool,  silk, 
and  rayon  and  other  synthet.cs.  they  suit  an  increasingly  atmosphere-controlled,  seasonless  life. 
Shirtings  are  often  interpreted  for  women  in  soft  silks.  Joining  the  traditionally  male  silhouette  and 
materials  in  Armani's  designs  for  women  are  an  almost  relentlessly  neutral  palette  and  details  of 
men's  tailoring,  including  besom  pockets,  band  collars,  and  plays  on  classic  lapel  treatments. 

Besides  the  transposition  of  elements  from  male  uniforms  to  women's  clothing,  a 
juxtaposition  that  has  zigzagged  alluringly  across  the  twentieth-century  fashion  timeline,  there  can 
also  be  found  in  Armanis  oeuvre  the  influence  of  boy's  clothes  from  a  bygone  era.  A  Depress.on-era 
schoolboy  might  be  the  source  for  elegant  ensembles  of  knee-.ength  shorts,  short  cardigan-sty.e 
jackets  cut-in  sleeveless  T-shirts,  and  visored  caps.  Rounded,  soft  collars,  a  frequent  leitmotif,  date 
back  to  turn-of-the-century  productions  of  J.  M.  Barr.e's  play  about  the  boy  who  never  wanted  to  grow 
up:  Peter  Pan. 


Starting  perhaps  with  the  nineteenth-century  English  firm  of  Redfern,  known  for  exquisitely 
tailored  riding  habits,  many  couturiers  and  designers  adapted  aspects  of  men's  clothes  for  women. 
Usually  this  took  the  form  of  imposing  male  elements  upon  the  female  silhouette.  How  Armani 
transformed  the  way  women  dress  has  to  do  not  so  much  with  the  specific  elements  he  has 
appropriated,  but  with  his  particular  way  with  fit.  Jackets  draped  seemingly  casually— like  those 
sported  by  big-band  leaders  in  the  1930s  and  later— have  just  as  much  insouciant  swagger  on  women 
as  on  men  today,  serving  to  remind  us  of  the  contrast  in  dress  of  the  sexes  just  seventy  years  ago,  a 
period  when  only  the  most  daring  toyed  with  androgyny  and  women  borrowing  men's  clothes  borrowed 
their  formality  as  well. 

By  dressing  both  men  and  women  in  pants,  jackets  with  broad  shoulders,  and  flat  shoes, 
Armani  accomplished  seemingly  effortlessly  what  was  a  quest  for  many  twentieth-century  designers: 
the  desire  to  devise  a  unisex  uniform.  Earlier  experiments  by  designers  from  Pierre  Cardin  to  Rudi 
Gernreich  can  be  viewed  in  hindsight  as  quaintly  futuristic:  riffs  on  bodysuits,  jumpsuits,  body  jewelry, 
and  shaved  heads  in  helmets.  What  made  Armani's  new  uniform  succeed  was  its  relaxed,  unstructured 
shape.  By  softening  the  tailoring  of  the  jacket,  the  keystone  of  the  male  work  uniform  for  at  least  150 
years,  Armani  came  to  clothe  the  end  of  an  era  in  the  most  comfortable  armor  ever  made. 

Armani  didn't  stop  with  revolutionizing  classic  business  attire.  Acknowledging  the  changes 
being  wrought  by  the  third  industrial  revolution,  he  went  on  to  expand  the  vocabulary  of  what 
constitutes  a  suit.  In  1989  the  designer  told  The  New  York  Times  that  he  wanted  to  "change  the  form 
of  things."  His  aim,  he  said,  was  to  make  designs  that  looked  "as  if  a  woman  took  a  piece  of  fabric 
and  threw  it  over  her  body  in  a  natural  gesture."1  He  accomplished  this  by  turning  away  from 
traditional  Western  tailoring  methods  and  toward  the  East.  Place  traditional  garments  of  European  and 
Eastern  origin  side  by  side  on  a  table  and  the  most  obvious  difference  between  them  becomes 
instantly  clear:  one  is  constructed  of  variously  shaped  pieces  of  fabric  sewn  together  to  encase  a 
figure,  while  the  other  is  likely  to  be  made  of  a  flat  piece  of  material  with  minimal  cutting  and 
stitching.  The  sari,  for  example,  is  worn  the  way  it  comes  off  the  loom,  and  the  burnous  (a  hooded 
cloak  worn  in  parts  of  the  Middle  East)  is  rectangular  and  can  be  laid  flat.  When  a  flat  garment  is  put 
on  a  rounded  figure,  the  result  is  that  the  fabric  hangs  in  soft  folds.  Armani  successfully  melded  this 
sense  of  flou  into  a  vernacular  based  on  Western  tailoring. 

In  his  logical  progression  from  the  soft  jacket,  Armani  has  experimented  with  various 
elements  and  proportions  that  point  East.  Alternatives  to  the  classic  pantsuit  of  blazer  and  trousers 
include  ensembles  made  with  vests  over  tunic  shirts  reminiscent  of  standard  male  dress  from,  among 
other  places,  India.  Other  tunic  shirts  acquire  the  presence  of  a  jacket  with  the  addition  of  bib  fronts, 
like  those  of  Northern  African  djellabahs  or  Moroccan  caftans.  Knee-length  or  longer  tunics  or  coats 
worn  over  pants  could  have  stepped  out  of  a  Persian  miniature  painting.  Wrapped  jackets  recall  short 
informal  men's  kimonos  from  Japan.  Single-breasted  jackets  buttoning  down  the  front  and  stand-up 
collars  are  Armani  Nehru,  and  many  of  the  soft  suits  take  the  Mao  uniform  into  the  realm  of  luxury. 

Eastern  effects  provide  not  just  softer  lines,  but  also  specific  shapes  and  patterns:  harem 
skirts  appear  on  evening  clothes  as  well  as  on  such  tailored  day  pieces  as  a  camel-hair  coat:  batik 
birds,  cloud  scrolls,  and  chrysanthemum  petals  decorate  jackets,  pants,  and  skirts;  the  use  of 
transparency  recalls  pina  cloth;  Zouave  braid,  simplified  (as  are  most  of  these  references),  adorns 
clothing  and  accessories.  While  historically  orientalism  has  painted  Western  design  in  brilliant 
palettes  and  patterns.  Armani  is  drawn  most  often  to  the  simplest  of  Eastern  wear,  the  subtleties 
of  rough,  plain,  coarse,  worn  peasant  clothing  having  more  appeal  (and  more  workable  modernity) 
than  court  clothes. 

Eastern  clothing  having  a  modernizing  effect  on  Western  women's  dress  goes  back  to  the 
nineteenth  century.  To  escape  the  binds  of  corsets  and  voluminous  crinoline  skirts,  a  handful  of 
daring  women— activists  and/or  actresses— began  to  adopt  the  daringly  shocking  wearing  of  pants. 


Spring/Summer  1994 


Spring/Summer  1988 


Fall/Winter  1989-90 


(In  an  age  when  legs  were  known  as  limbs,  clothing  that  defined  them  was  almost  unspeakable.)  The 
first  commonly  worn  ensemble  based  on  pants  for  women  was  modeled  after  Turkish  trousers  (full  and 
modestly  gathered  at  the  ankles);  these  came  to  be  known  as  bloomers  after  their  most  renowned 
wearer,  the  American  reformer  Amelia  Bloomer.  As  a  revolutionary  statement  the  look  didn't  last  long, 
although  bloomers  continued  to  be  worn  for  active  sports,  which  were  becoming  increasingly  popular. 
Curiously,  it  was  not  until  high  fashion  turned  its  attention  to  Eastern  effects,  including  harem 
trousers,  with  no  more  intent  than  to  transform  women  into  exotic  birds  of  plumage,  that  the  real 
seeds  of  modern  fashion  were  sown. 

The  fertile  moment  was  1910.  Suffragists  were  giving  solemn  speeches  wearing  masculine 
bifurcated  costumes  when  the  theatr.cal  costume  and  set  designer  Leon  Bakst  turned  the  world  of 
fashion  on  its  ear  with  his  Zeitgeist  designs  for  the  Ballets  Russes  production,  in  Paris,  of 
Scheherazade.  Couturiers,  master  jewelers,  and  artisans  of  all  sorts  were  profoundly  affected  by  the 
exhilarating  palette  and  radically  diaphanous  near-nudity  of  the  dancers'  harem  costumes.  Bold 
socialites,  having  already  dipped  a  toe  in  the  water  by  wearing  Persian  fancy  dress,  bought  vers.ons  of 
the  new  look  from  Bakst,  Paul  Poiret,  and  others. 

In  1990  Armani  paid  homage  to  this  turning  point  with  a  group  of  Bakst-inspired  des.gns. 
including  a  version  of  one  of  the  most  riveting  designs  of  the  twentieth  century:  the  Persian  tunic 
designed  for  Gertrude  Vanderbilt  Whitney  by  the  Russian  costumer.  Heiress,  wife,  and  mother  as  well 
as  artist,  patron,  and  museum  founder.  Wh.tney  became  In  effect  a  work  of  ar,  herself  ,n  1913  by 
posing  wearing  her  Bakst-commissioned  ensemble  four  times:  she  was  photographed  by  Baron  Adol 
de  Meyer  sculpted  in  silver  by  Emanuele  de  Resales,  painted  life-size  by  Howard  Cushing  In  a  mural 
be  ins  ailed  in  her  Long  Island  studio,  and  drawn  by  John  Singer  Sargent.  Like  such  contemporaries 
si  2  de  Acosta  Lydig.  Natasha  Rambova.  Mata  Han.  and  the  Italian  beauty  the  Marchesa  Casa,,. 
Whitney  was  presenting  an  avant-garde  artistic  self  to  the  world  when  she  dressed  this  way. 


159 


Gertrude  Vanderbilt  Whitney, 
photographed  by  Baron  Adolf  de  Meyer 
in  1913. 


Armani  seems  to  appreciate  that  while  the  past  holds  allure  for  the  present,  this  attraction  is 
often  tempered  by  mixed  feelings.  Sending  out  his  pared-down  ensembles  on  his  light-box  runway,  he 
often  gives  the  models  the  finishing  touch  of  gloves,  the  one  accessory  (with  the  possible  exception 
of  the  fan)  associated  most  strongly  with  Victorian  etiquette.  As  the  punctuation  to  clothes  that  can 
go  from  a  business  meeting  in  one  time  zone  to  a  soccer  meet  or  benefit  in  another,  these  serve  as 
touching  reminders  of  just  how  far  women  have  come.  For  the  very  elegant  ground-breaking  Whitney, 
wearing  trousers  would  remain  a  part  of  her  downtown,  artistic,  woman-of-accomplishment  identity; 
her  uptown  heiress-wife-mother-hostess  self  wore  proper  ladylike  skirts.  In  reviving  her  most  artistic 
look  and  translating  it  into  the  easiest  of  evening  ready-to-wear  more  than  seventy-five  years  later, 
Armani  reminds  us  of  how.  thanks  in  no  small  part  to  him,  these  selves  today  can  be  and  are  one  and 
the  same. 


Note 


Bernadine  Morris.  "Huzzahs  for  Armanfs  Soft  and  Slithery  Collection."  7"ne  New  York  Times.  October  13.  1989.  p.  B20. 


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A     PLACE      IN      THE      SUN 

by  Susan  Cross 

Like  an  adventure  tale  whose  amalgam  of  fiction  and  memory  evokes  far-away  destinations  that  exist 
only  in  the  imagination.  Armani's  clothes  and  his  advertising  similarly  transport  us  through  space  and 
time  to  exotic  locales.  As  in  a  dream,  we  are  never  sure  exactly  where,  or  even  when,  the  scene  takes 
place,  but  there  is  a  sense  of  familiarity  and  comfort,  as  with  a  face  we  can't  quite  place. 

Armani's  nostalgic  and  romantic  visions  mirror  the  revival  of  eclectic  historical  styles  and 
cultural  traditions  characteristic  of  postmodern  society,  which  has  been  defined  at  least  in  part  by  the 
advent  of  multiculturalism  and  the  recognition  of  Western  civilization  as  one  among  many  cultures,  all 
of  which  are  equally  valued.  Simultaneously,  technological  advances  have  created  a  profusion  of 
images  and  information  that  have  helped  to  establish  the  new  world  culture,  in  which  Japanese  tatami 
mats  furnish  American  homes  and  denim  jeans  are  found  throughout  the  world. 

This  convergence  of  cultures  takes  visible  form,  in  Armani's  designs,  in  ensembles  that  might 
combine  a  hint  of  a  Japanese  obi  with  a  suggestion  of  a  Northern  African  djellabah  or  a  Mao  jacket. 
(Like  that  unrecognizable  face,  however,  the  original  garments  are  never  quite  identifiable.)  This 
pastiche  of  sartorial  customs  results  in  something  of  a  universal  vision  of  dress,  which  parallels 
Armani's  creation  of  clothing  that  crosses  the  division  of  sexes:  his  clothes  erase  lines  equally 
between  genders,  social  strata,  and  cultures. 

Armani's  clothes  seem  to  bring  us  back  to  a  simpler  time  and  place — one  that  has  never 
existed  outside  of  longing.  This  sentimental  fantasy  reappears  in  Armani's  advertising,  which  is  often 
set  in  sunny,  desertlike  landscapes  or  white-washed  villages,  or  in  their  cool,  tiled  interiors. 
Reminiscent  of  Morocco,  Algiers,  Polynesia,  or  perhaps  Bali,  these  seductive  but  unknown  locales 
represent  the  fulfillment  of  a  simultaneous  desire  for  the  past  and  the  future,  for  refuge  and  for 
adventure.  Dotted  with  palm  trees,  these  sites  invoke  the  oasis  that  Armani  offers  us  from  restricting 
dress  and  customs. 

In  an  image  from  the  spring/summer  1978  menswear  campaign,  a  muscular  model  leans 
against  a  burlap  sack;  he  appears  as  if  he  might  be  taking  a  rest  from  lifting  the  mysterious  goods 
contained  within:  coffee  from  South  America  or  spices  from  India?  In  another  image,  the  same  model 
again  creates  this  moment  of  leisure  despite  his  more  formal  attire,  as,  dressed  in  a  suit,  he  reclines 
against  a  palm  tree  with  a  book  in  his  hand.  This  notion  of  freedom  is  the  thread  connecting  Armani's 
clothes  and  the  manner  in  which  they  are  represented.  Though  the  loose-fitting  garments  associated 
with  hot  climates  are  those  that  often  inspire  Armani— the  sarong,  the  caftan,  the  harem  pant— his 
more  tailored  clothes  still  retain  that  same  fluid,  languid  elegance.  Even  in  the  tropical  setting  of  the 
spring/summer  1990  womenswear  campaign,  a  formal  gown  and  an  oversized  suit  look  at  home 
because  of  their  relaxed  styling. 

Along  with  the  juxtaposition  of  cultural  references,  the  coupling  of  high  and  low  is  typical  of 
Armani.  A  beaded  ensemble  from  the  spring/summer  1994  women's  collection  is  based  on  the 
everyday  tunics  worn  by  Northern  Afr.can  men.  Combining  a  brightly  striped,  collarless  work-type  shirt 
with  a  man's  dress  suit  or  cropped  Indian-influenced  pajama  pants  with  a  tailored  woman's  jacket  in 
his  spring/summer  1992  campaign.  Armani  creates  the  casual  air  for  which  he  so  well  known.  Like 
the  clothing,  the  Moroccan  interior  against  which  these  ensembles  appear  conjures  the  slow, 
languorous  rhythms  of  hot,  sultry  climates. 

Just  as  Armani  refers  to  cultures  around  the  world,  he  also  invokes  the  Western  colonialist 
past  in  his  spring/summer  1994  campaign.  Set  against  the  backdrop  of  an  archeological  dig,  the 
images  remind  us  of  the  romantic  past  that  Armani  is  m.n,ng-an  idealized,  .mpossib.e  place  that 
spring/summer  1992  exists  in  the  marriage  of  opposites  that  Armani  brings  to  his  clothing. 


1 


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165 


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54 


54.  Woman's  overshirt  and  pants,  spring/summer  1994.  55.  Woman's  shirt  and  skirt,  spring/summer  1994.  56.  Woman's  evening  pan       It, 

spring/summer  1994.  57.  Woman's  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95.     From  the  sun-bleached,  earth-toned  palette  and  simple  shirt  and    ant 

forms  of  everyday  menswear  seen  in  parts  of  the  Islamic  world,  Armani  has  created  luxurious  though  understated  apparel  for  women.  His  all 

to  regional  costume  typologies  are  often  of  the  most  mundane  examples:  the  bib-front  tunic  shirt,  the  loosely  fitted  vest,  the  cotton  caftan.  In  the 


57 


four  ensembles  illustrated  here,  Armani  has  replaced  the  quotidian  muslins  and  durable  plain  weaves  of  Northern  African  and  Middle  Eastern  apparel 
with  the  luxury  of  Italian  textiles.  Silk  gauze  and  organza  substitute  for  rough  crinkled  cottons,  and  glass  bugle  beads  are  used  to  render  the  effect 
of  woven  stripes  that  are  the  common  adornment  of  light  Berber  wools. 


59 


58.  Mans  sports  jacket  ensemble,  spring/summer  1991    59.  Man's  suit,  spring/summer  1990.  60.  Woman's  jacket  and  pants,  spring/s 
1993.  61.  Woman's  jacket  and  sarong  pants,  spring/summer  1994.     Armani's  imagination  does  not  appear  to  be  circumscribed  by  the  spe  ific 
realities  of  h.s  travels.  Near  and  Far  Eastern  traditions  are  assimilated  and  digested,  but  so  transformed  in  his  designs  as  to  be  only  the  fain 


LTfl 


adumbrations.  The  signs  he  uses  to  suggest  an  orientalist  "other"  are  generally  mo 


re  allusion  than  they  are  quotation.  A  sand-toned  palette, 


a  shirttail-like  overskirt,  or  a  knotted  closure  at  the  wai 


st  of  pants  are  typical  of  the  small  evocat.ve  details  on 


which  Armani's  fictive  geographies  rely. 


62.  Woman's  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95    63.  Woman's  jacket  and  dress,  spring/summer  1994.  64.  Woman's  jacket  and  pants, 
fall/winter  1994-95.  65.  Woman's  evening  gown,  fall/winter  1994-95.  66.  Woman's  floor-length  dress,  fall/winter  1994-95.     Here,  layering, 
mixes  of  richly  textured  fabrics,  and  an  ostensible  simplicity  of  cut  suggest  the  clothing  of  Northern  Africa  and  the  Near  East.  But.  as  in  mi 


65 


jknrnnr.  work,  the  apparent  rusticity  of  the  textiles  and  seemmgly  rudrmentary  pattern  pieces  are  only  a  subterfuge.  Textiles  with  sophisticated 
crepe  and  gauze  weaves  or  complex  knitted  and  crochet-effect  patterns  have  been  engineered  Into  carefuily  manipulated  geometries  that  beiie  the 

subtle  mastery  of  their  construction. 


67.  Woman's  evening  vest  and  pants,  spring/summer  1994.  68.  Woman's  evening  dress,  spring/summer  1995.  69.  Woman's  evening  d      ■■ 
spring/summer  1995.  70.  Woman's  evening  vest,  overskirt,  and  pants,  spring/summer  1993.     The  fields  of  elaborate  floss  embroiders 
passementeries  that  enrich  caftans  and  djellabahs  are  interpreted  here  in  elaborate  beadwork  on  silk  organza.  Yet  while  the  floral  and 


70 


geometric  motifs  were  inspired  by  Islamic  patterns,  the  sheerness  and  zonal  exposure  of  these  dresses  and  ensembles  are  In  radical  opposrtion  to 
-he  clothing  paradigms  that  are  their  source.  Even  as  extrapolates  of  specific  regronal  styles,  they  unabashedly  express  the  sensrblimes  and  mores 

of  the  high-fashion  system  of  the  West. 


I 


71.  Woman's  evening  tunic  coat  and  pants,  fall/winter  1990-91.  72.  Woman's  evening  pants  ensemble,  spring/summer  1990.  73.  Woman's 
evening  dress  and  pants,  fall/winter  1994-95.  74.  Woman's  evening  jacket  and  skirt,  spring/summer  1995.  75.  Woman's  evening  jacket  and 
divided  skirt,  spring/summer  1995.  76.  Woman's  evening  "polonaise"  ensemble,  spring/summer  1988.  While  most  of  Armani's  work  that  alludes 
to  the  Islamic  world  finds  its  sources  in  peasant  and  nomadic  dress  with  their  spare  ornament,  strong  textural  appeal,  and  simple  forms,  the 


74 


designer  is  msp,red  as  well  by  Pers.an  and  Mughal  m. matures,  and  the  Active  world  represented  by  the  n.neteenth-century  oriental.st  pa.nters.  In 
addition,  patterns  and  colors  from  tiles,  carpets,  and  antique  textiles  percolate  through  his  even.ngwear.  But  no  single  element  is  transposed 
without  interpretation,  while  his  sources  become  obscured  in  a  febrile  cultural  fusion. 


77.  Woman's  evening  vest,  overskirt,  and  pants,  spring/summer  1994.  78.  Woman's  evening  jacket  and  pants,  spring/summer 

79.  Woman's  evening  pantsuit,  fall/winter  1990-91.  80.  Woman's  evening  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1995-96.  81.  Woman's  evening  jacket 

and  pants,  fall/winter  1990-91.     Chinese  artifacts  and  costumes — from  Shang  bronzes  and  mandarin  badges  to  Ming  ceramics  and  Manchu  rob  5- 


J 


emerge  here  as  contemporary  eveningwear.  In  Armani's  designs,  however,  patterns  of  identifiable  provenance  are  often  mixed  with  elements  of 
deliberately  obscure  origins.  In  his  synthesis  of  the  recognizable  with  the  unfamiliar.  Armani  has  taken  undeniable  poetic  license.  The  result  is  a 
chmoiserie  with  elements  at  once  studiously  esoteric  and  wildly  inchoate— both  historically  charged  and  convincingly  modern. 


82.  Woman's  evening  gown,  fall/winter  1995-96.  83.  Woman's  evening  dress  with  overshirt,  spring/summer  1998.  84.  Woman's  evening  ense    bit 
with  wrap  skirt,  spring/summer  1998.     Armani  looks  to  the  Far  East  in  the  eveningwear  pictured  here,  but  though  his  rendering  is  faithful  in  p 
it  is  also  inarguably  subjective,  like  Roland  Barthes's  "reading"  of  Japan  in  Emptre  of  S,gns  (1982).  Motifs  derived  from  Chinese  dragon  robes 


t 


Japanese  decorative  arts  are  described  in  elaborate  seed  and  bugle  bead.ng,  a  techn.que  alien  to  both  As.an  culture*.  Addit.onaMy.  dragonfly  and 
I  mugho-pine  patterns  and  a  ra.nbow  border  are  s.tuated.  juxtapcsed.  and  repeated  In  a  fashion  no,  seen  In  then  original  sources.  Most  notably.  Armani 
j  reduces  to  bodycleaving  sheaths  the  volummous  layering  of  Manchu  court  dress  and  the  padded  waist  of  the  ob.-wrapped  k.mono. 


85.  Woman's  evening  Jacket  and  culottes,  fall/winter  1982-83.  86.  Woman's  evening  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1990-91.  87.  Woman's  j.  ket 

and  culottes,  fall/winter  1980-81.     The  fall/winter  1980-81  season,  which  was  characterized  by  severely  planar,  origami-like  geometries,  sun  sed 

a  public  who  had  preconceptions  about  Armani's  vocabulary  of  relaxed  and  supple  forms.  To  this  day,  however,  it  is  one  of  the  designer's  fa\  nte 

collections.  Inspired  by  Akira  Kurosawa's  1980  film  Kagemusha,  the  collection  ranged  from  space-age  evening  ensembles  based  on  the  arrr  of 


„  Japan  ,o  sportswea,  that  source,  «,.  short  laoKets  and  monpe,  trousers  st„,  worn  hy  farmers  ,n  nee  „e,ds.  Over  the  years,  the  designer  ha. 
sed  events  from  that  c.H.Con.  hut  has  turther  .nveste,  them  w.th  a  graph.c  sens.b.Hty  mo,e  a„n  ,.  the  coshes  o. 


Constructivists  than  to  traditional  Japanese  dress. 


■B 


90 


88    Woman's  evening  shirt  and  floor-length  skirt,  spnng/summer  1997.  89.  Woman's  even.ng  shirt  and  pants.  fall/Winter  1997-98.  90.  Wo„ 
evening  JaCet  and  pants,  spring/summer  1997.  91.  Woman's  evening  tunic  coat  and  pants,  fall/winter  1990-91.  92.  Woman's  evening  lacke.  M 
pants,  fall/winter  1990-91.     Here,  clothing  elements  from  the  Malay  peninsula  and  the  Indonesian  archipelago  are  the  basis  for  sportsw. 


f 


92 


t       sers-  the  long  sashes  that  secure  jackets  and 
Ling  ensembles.  8m-..  tigm  an„ta  are  paired  with  siren-fltted  beaded  sKirts  or  traaspare^  ,.u^  ^  ^  (he  Ba(,h  patterns  m0,e 

shirts  in  the  onginals  have  been  eliminated  or  displaced.  Further,      e  ^  des,g„ers  imagination. 

La,  o,  indonesia  results  in  a  convincing  synthes,s  o,  place  and  cu.ture  that  in 


94 


93.  Woman's  strapless  evening  ensemble,  spring/summer  1993.  94.  Woman's  evening  vest,  overskirt,  and  pants,  spring/summer  1 
95.  Woman's  one-shouldered  evening  ensemble,  spring/summer  1993.  96.  Woman's  evening  blouse,  pareo,  and  skirt,  spring/summer  199< 
Woman's  strapless  evening  ensemble,  spring/summer  1990.     In  these  evening  ensembles,  wraps  and  overskirts  allude  to  the  sarongs  and  p 


96 


97 


,unc„on  as  the  bas,c  moduies  o.  Paofflc  Bas.n  d,ess.  Pr.nts  of  ^^^^^Z^  ""»»  ^  ni"«,en«h.C.n«ur, 
,seau  and  Pau,  Gau6u,n.  invoWn*  the  nature,  Renders  .,  Sou.hea,  As.a  and  ,he 


European  imagination. 


98.  Woman's  evening  tank  top  and  skirt,  spring/summer  1993.  99.  Woman's  evening  jacket,  overskirt.  and  pants,  spring/summer  1 
100.  Woman's  evening  dress  and  pants,  spr.ng/summer  1993    101.  Woman's  evening  jacket,  overskirt,  and  pants,  spring/summer  1993 
Woman's  strapless  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1993.  103.  Woman's  strapless  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1993.  104.  Woman's  strai 
evening  gown,  spring/summer  1993.     The  Southeast  As. an  men's  fashion  of  suit  jacket  over  sarong  or  dhoti-style  bottoms  is  transposed  her 


104 


102 


103 


,  .of  sheer  parts    Eveningwear  is  treated  as  sportswear,  with 

women,  embellished  with  pattern,  and  reconfigured  through  the  multiple  layer,        ^^  ^  ^^  ^  body.reveahng  folds,  rather  than 
I  interchangeable  elements  of  such  lightness  and  transparency  that  they  ""'»"  ,n         po|ynesian.slyle  gowns  on  the  r.ght  are  as  indebted  to 
encumbermg  the  silhouette.  In  a  typ.cal  Armenian  mixrng  of  cultural  forms,  the  three 
Southeast  Asian  ceremonial  skirtcloths  as  they  are  to  Tahit.an  pareos. 


THE  ELEGANCE  OF  THE   EVERYDAY: 
THE   INTERIORS  OF  GIORGIO  ARMAN 


Donald  Albrecht 


Clothing,  it's  been  said,  is  the  first  level  of  architecture.  Both  art  forms  protect  the  body  from  nature 
and  reflect  a  person's  taste.  Throughout  his  thirty-year  career.  Giorgio  Armani  has  adapted  his  fast 
sensibility  to  architecture  and  interior  design  in  the  spaces  in  which  he  lives  and  works.  Collaborating 
with  many  architects  and  interior  designers,  including  Michael  Gabellini.  Gabriella  Giuntoli.  Keith 
Hobbs.  Peter  Marino,  and  Giancarlo  Ortelli.  Armani  visually  unites  his  diverse  settings-f. 
residences  in  Italy  and  the  south  of  France  to  offices  in  Milan-with  neutral  colors,  sumptuoj 
materials,  and  simple  forms.  A  worldview  that  prizes  comfortable  and  casual  elegance  defines  the 

Armani  style. 

Armani's  interiors  wear  their  clothes  on  the  inside.  Tented  dining  rooms  and  canopied  be 
are  softly  draped  pavilions  within  harder-edged  buildings.  As  in  his  clothes.  Arman.'s  mterior-des, 
aesthetic  is  based  on  opposition:  translucence  and  opacity,  pattern  and  solid,  modern  and  tradition 
East  and  West,  black  and  white.  Reflecting  the  same  language  of  juxtaposition,  the  buildings  Armai 
lives  and  works  in  are  powerful  historical  shells  in  which  he  fashions  modern,  upholstered  fantasie 
In  architecture,  as  in  fashion,  good  bones  matter. 

Fabric,  texture,  and  pattern-the  building  blocks  of  fashion-understandably  play  essent. 
roles  in  Armani's  interiors.  Armani  defines  space  with  gently  draped  fabric  in  the  same  way  he  cloth, 
the  body  in  silk,  linen,  and  wool  crepe.  The  rippling  horizontal  ribs  of  a  translucent  tunic  in  Armani' 
fall/winter  1990-91  women's  collection  reverberate  in  the  dining  room  of  his  former  home  on  Milan 
Via  Santa  Cecilia,  where  Japanese-inspired  bamboo  screens  thinly  veiled  the  backlit  ceiling  and  lus 
landscaped  garden  beyond.  The  rough  stucco  and  stone  exterior  of  his  house  on  the  Mediterranea 
island  of  Pantelleria  contrasts  with  its  soft,  smooth  interior,  and  its  roof  undulates  like  white  sails 
suspended  animation.  Fusing  primitive  and  sophisticated,  the  house  is  a  distant  cousin  of  the  late 
1930s  villa  built  by  Curzio  Malaparte  on  the  island  of  Capri,  immortalized  during  Armani's  formats 
years  by  Jean-Luc  Godard  in  the  director's  1963  film  Le  Mepns  (Contempt). 


Giorgio  Armani's  former  office  at  Via  Borgonuovo  21.  Milan 


„,  .„„  „,.„.,.»"..  ™~ «~'»"°-  •""  7ge ;  "7,,,™;,  * « „  „  M» ,»«.* - ™ 

■  ~ — -  -»;'-"  r::i,  »:r:r,;  c.t. «— — ■  -  • 

This  ».•  of  ooposit'O"  «""  »'»°  "  „|in»m»nl.  80*  (ilmm.Mt  .n<l 


201 


Fall/Winter  1990-91 


Dining  room  in  Armani's  former  aoartment 
at  Via  Santa  Cecilia  5.  Milan 


mid-1970s  modernism.  The  contrast  between  them  propels  the  plot. 

Armani's  interiors  extend  traditions  of  twentieth-century  modern  interior  design.  Awan 
Italy's  unparalleled  architectural  legacy,  the  nation's  postwar  architects  and  designers  showed  a 
remarkable  capacity  to  respect  tradition  while  embracing  avant-garde  forms,  materials,  a 
technologies.  Italian  architects  such  as  Franco  Albini  deftly  renovated  historic  masonry  structures  b 
installing  minimal,  lightweight  furnishings  in  metal  and  glass,  as  In  the  Museo  del  Palazzo  Bianco 
Genoa  (1951).  Postwar  Italian  design  gained  greater  respect  Internationally,  with  Milan.  Arman. 
home  base,  positioning  itself  as  the  center  of  design  activity.  At  the  same  time,  the  high-style  deco, 
the  films  of  postwar  Italian  directors  from  Mtchelangelo  Antonioni  to  Bernardo  Bertolucc,  burnish 
the  country's  aesthetic  reputation.  Italy:  The  New  Domestic  Landscape,  the  landmark  exhibit!. 
organized  by  Emilio  Ambasz  and  presented  at  the  Museum  of  Modern  Art.  New  York,  in  197 
solidrfied  Italian  design's  authority,  setting  the  stage  for  the  rise  of  Italian  fash.on  designers  such 

Armani. 

Even  more  significant  in  Armani's  evolving  aesthetic  were  1930s  interiors  by  French  design 
jean-Michel  Frank,  who  "unfurnished"  a  room  in  order  to  decorate  it.  just  as  Armani  "undresse, 
a  woman  in  order  to  clothe  her.  Frank  moved  In  the  stimulating  world  of  prewar  Paris  fash.o, 
designing  interiors  for  such  tastemakers  as  Lucien  Lelong.  Elsa  Schiaparelli.  and  Guerlam.  L 
Armani,  he  achieved  a  harmonious  class.cism  that  straddled  tradit.on  and  the  avant-garde.  Lil 
Armani,  he  prized  proportion,  balance,  and  refinement  and  replaced  excess  with  austere  forms  a,, 
well-crafted  details.  "One  doesn't  work  in  centimeters."  Frank  said,  "but  in  millimeters."1 

in  his  interiors.  Armani  adopts  Frank's  style  of  carefully  orchestrated  ensembles  of  slmpl< 
generously  scaled  furnishings,  rich  materials,  a  limited  palette,  and  vernacular  traditions.  Armani 
apartment  on  Milan's  Via  Borgonuovo.  set  within  a  late-sixteenth-century  building,  re-creates  the  spn 
of  Frank's  own  1930  Parisian  home  and  his  masterp.ece.  the  1936  Paris  apartment  for  Charles  an 


Spring/Summer  1991 


Chimney  corner  in  Charles  and  Mane- 
Laure  de  Noailles's  Pans  apartment 
designed  by  Jean  Michel  Frank.  1936 


Marie-Laure  de  Noailles.  Armani's  living  room  features  a  Frank-designed  sofa  and  screen,  walls  of 
light-hued  oak.  and  club  chairs  upholstered  In  raw  silk.  The  carefully  edited  selection  of  boldly  scaled 
lamps  and  objects  mimics  the  Frank  originals  and  recalls  the  way  Armani  accessorizes  his  couture 
collections  with  single  pieces  of  overscaled  jewelry. 

Armani's  former  office  in  the  same  building,  too.  was  pure  Frank.  Credenzas  were  tableaux  of 
casually  arranged  books  and  mementos.  Frank-style  club  chairs  provided  seating  for  guests. 
The  centerpiece  was  a  trestle  table-a  traditional  workhorse  of  the  farmhouse  or  factory-made 
elegant  with  ample  proportions  and  high  polish.  Its  utilitarian  sources  were  echoed  in  metal  industrial 

drafting  lamps. 

in  this  approach,  which  elevates  the  vernacular  to  the  formal.  Armani  found  a  stylistic 
counterpart  to  his  fashions.  Staples  of  Armani's  collections  year  after  year  are  T-shirts,  cardigans, 
and  pullovers  recontextualized  through  masterful  tailoring  and  the  use  of  exquisite  fabrics. 

Armani  in  fashion  as  In  architecture,  discovers  inspiration  In  the  everyday  and  the  elegant. 
He  ,s  the  visual  arbiter  of  a  global  empire,  not  only  capturing  the  public's  imagination  with  his 
distinctive  style  of  comfortable,  casual  refinement,  but  also  transforming  his  personal  vision  Into 
a  defining  philosophy  of  modern  life. 


203 


Note 


1.  Quoted  in  Leopold  Diego 


Sanchez.  Jean-Michel  Frank  (Pans:  Editions  du  Regard),  p.  18. 


ARMANI      BY      DESIGN 


Andrea  Branzi 


In  Catholic  cultures,  elegance  of  clothing  has  always  been  seen  as  a  useless  pretense,  a  worldly  vice 
unsuitable  to  a  moral  public  that  finds  in  modesty  the  motifs  of  conservation  and  thrift.  This  culture- 
even  today— often  sees  fashion  as  a  minor,  mercantile,  almost  vulgar  phenomenon.  Thus  fashion 
emerged  in  Italy  without  any  true  roots,  with  few  and  isolated  prophets  and  a  market  that  had  never 
been  consolidated.  Certainly,  the  system  did  not  seem  destined  to  produce  a  great  number  of  talents 
within  a  short  period  of  time. 

But  this  was  not  the  first  time  that  Italy  had  defied  expectations,  that  a  negative  environm    it 
had  produced  its  exact  opposite  in  terms  of  aesthetic  production.  Renaissance  culture,  for  example, 
emerged  within  the  fractured,  uncertain,  and  conflict-ridden  political  context  of  fifteenth-century  Italy. 
One  might  almost  say  that  Italians  appear  to  have  the  capacity  to  invert  or  at  least  interrupt  the  u 
cause-effect  relationship,  so  that  aesthetic  production  moves  in  the  opposite  direction  from  tl 
context  within  which  it  is  created.  This  has  happened  not  only  in  art,  but  also  in  design  and  fashion 

The  rupture  that  was  the  early  Modern  movement  in  Italy  formed  a  new  link  in  a  vast  chain  ol 
previous  ruptures,  which  in  their  totality  paradoxically  constitute  a  specific  and  recognizable  cultu 
continuity.  Ruptures  and  faults  produced  by  the  weakness  of  cultural  systems  are  continually 
subjected  to  recurrent  crises,  and  precisely  because  of  this  cultural  producers  have  found  unexpect- 
openings  to  the  new  and  unforeseen  that  make  up  for  the  lack  of  established  power,  which  ofte 
produces  rigidity  and  a  rejection  of  innovation. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  twentieth  century,  the  Italian  avant-garde  looked  pessimistically  upoi 
myths  of  progress,  which  was  seen  by  the  Futurists  as  the  producer  of  change  without  end  an 
without  purpose,  and  by  the  Metaphysical  artists  as  a  suspended  existential  condition  that  offer* 
no  answers  because  there  were  no  questions.  This  pessimism  had  its  roots  in  the  unexpecte 
cultural  and  industrial  upheavals  in  society  at  the  end  of  the  nineteenth  century— upheavals  tha 
were  animated  by  a  polemical  energy,  a  radical  opposition  that  found  release  in  aesthetic  researc 


Spring/Summer  1995 


Spring/Summer  1980 


and  its  underlying  theories.  Amid  a  lack  of  real  political  transformation,  and  in  the  absence  of 
broader  effectual  conditions,  Italian  policies  and  strategies  often  seemed  to  assume  the  form  of  art. 
design,  or  clothing,  affirming  the  powerful  role  of  aesthetics  and  its  capacity  to  achieve  extreme  and 

clever  syntheses. 

More  attention  needs  to  be  paid  to  the  period  when  the  phenomenon  of  Italian  fashion  began 
to  assert  itself  in  the  world,  and  to  the  general  meaning  that  Italian  fashion  had  at  that  time.  The  late 
1970s  saw  a  rise  in  theories  advocating  complexity,  understood  as  the  dismantling  of  markets  and 
large  political  units,  within  a  society  that  was  experiencing  the  advent  of  the  postindustrial  condition 
in  terms  of  conflict  (including  terrorism).  Within  this  context  of  uncertainty  and  fragmentation,  within 
this  socially  provincial  environment  where  grand  politico-ideological  alignments  were  in  decline,  Italian 
fashion  under  Armani  brought  about  an  authoritative  change,  defining  its  general  role  in  terms  of 
postmodernity  and  in  opposition  to  classical  modernity. 

According  to  their  traditional  roles,  one  would  have  expected  technology  to  produce 
certainties  and  stability,  a  solidity  of  ideas  and  design,  while  fashion-seasonal,  ephemeral, 
capricious,  produced  by  unpredictable  creative  types  for  a  market  of  opinion  leaders-would  be 
relegated  to  a  role  of  perennial  hedonistic  uncertainty.  Instead,  beginning  with  Armani,  and  then  with 
other  great  Italian  designers,  fashion  has  offered,  on  an  international  level,  an  unfaltering  and  elegant 
continuity.  For  a  society  increasingly  uncertain  of  its  statutes  and  its  role,  and  often  still  terrified  o 
the  future,  fashion  has  provided  a  true  aesthetic  identity.  Europe  and  the  West  (and  Japan  as  we  ) 
saw  themselves  reflected  in  Armani's  extraordinary  statement,  which  offered  both  aesthet.c  certa.nty 
and  clothing  that  stimulated  the  senses.  With  Ital.an  fashion,  the  first  real  ™*«™^*^ 
emerged,  one  capable  of  operating  with  very  little  investment  and  reaping  very  high  profits  based  on 

great  funds  of  charisma  and  intransigence.  nrntfrft« 

in  the  world  of  electronic  markets,  where  everything  changes  like  the  wind,  where  progress 


205 


Spring/Summer  1977 


is  the  producer  of  continual  obsolescence,  Italian  fashion  was  the  first  to  break  this  cycle.  Through 
the  young  Armani,  it  invented  the  evergreen  of  an  elastic  and  moderately  evolutionary  neoclassic 
which  contained  the  complexity  of  a  turbulent,  restless  market  and  a  decadent  and  corrupt  socle 
But.  like  true  neoclassicism,  which  stands  neither  within  nor  outside  the  mediocrity  of  history,  it 
neither  participated  in  nor  judged  this  world.  If  it  has  not  yet  succeeded  in  "saving  the  world  v.   h 
beauty"  (as  Fyodor  Dostoevsky  said),  at  least  it  has  attempted  to  save  beauty  from  attack  by     e 

world. 

Armani's  public  debut  in  the  latter  half  of  the  1970s  was  announced  in  two  deliber    e 
products:  the  unstructured  man's  jacket  (without  shoulder  pads)  and  the  structured  woman's  ja 
(with  shoulder  pads).  From  the  point  of  view  of  design  culture,  one  might  say  that  Armani  focused     s 
attention  on  the  joint— on  a  nodal  aspect  of  the  garment's  sartorial  structure,  ignoring  ot 
quest.ons  secondary  to  its  design.  Thus  he  produced  a  slight  shift  in  the  parameters  of  class 
beauty,  directing  it  toward  different  references— such  as  Indian  fashion.  It  was  not  a  quest; 
however,  of  ethnic  style  or  Eastern  quotations.  For  men,  classical  beauty  has  always  entailed 
structural  and  geometric  continuity  of  the  shoulder  with  the  volumes  of  the  torso  and  the  body,  wf 
for  women,  clothing  had  to  express  fragility  and  brevity,  in  order  to  emphasize  the  curves  of  the  hi 
and  breasts.  In  contrast,  Indian  parameters  of  beauty  are  less  unitary  (or  perhaps  more  polytheist 
in  the  sense  that  the  human  body  is  viewed  not  as  a  single,  compact  volume,  but  rather  as  a  tota 
of  autonomous  figures,  which  describe  a  composite  divine  beauty  made  up  of  almost  separate  a 
dynamic  parts.  Shiva,  who  dances  within  a  circle  of  flames,  fittingly  describes  the  sublime  elastic 

of  Indian  beauty. 

With  Armani,  it  almost  seems  that  the  male  and  female  shoulders  changed  roles.  1 
unstructured  shoulders  of  the  man's  jacket  define  a  more  flexible,  thoughtful  male,  and  could  be  wo; 
by  a  young  gentleman,  more  likely  the  owner  of  a  silk  factory  than  of  an  ironworks.  And  the  fern? 


shoulder  belongs  to  an  expansive  woman,  articulated  in  separate  and  harmonious  volumes.  Thus 
these  garments  of  absolute  simplicity  fit  within  the  best  tradition  of  Italian  modernity,  which  has 
always  avoided  the  rigidity  of  Reason.  They  are  the  fruit  of  an  Enlightenment  of  old  that  has  never 
experienced  revolution  (there  is  no  moralism  or  minimalism),  and  which  extends  from  the  times  of 
Giuseppe  Parini  up  to  Franco  Albini  and  Piero  Manzoni. 

During  the  years  in  which  Armani  came  to  the  fore.  Milan  consolidated  its  role  as  a  major 
exporter  of  beauty  products.  As  is  typical  of  the  history  of  Italian  aesthetics,  this  was  accomplished  in 
opposition  to  the  general  reality  of  the  country  and  fueled  by  an  energy  that  thrives  on  contention  with 
its  context.  Fashion,  design,  and  corporate  communications  became  a  sort  of  mobile  system  of 
identity  for  an  ugly,  violent  city,  threadbare  in  its  public  spaces,  but  beautiful,  elegant,  and  refined  in 
its  private  spaces-its  houses  and  courtyards,  the  secret  interiors  of  a  bourgeoisie  that  was  sensitive 
but  had  never  assumed  a  public  role.  Thus  Milan  became  synonymous  with  elegance,  quality,  and 

intelligent  design. 

Throughout  the  1980s  and  1990s,  Milan— more  than  Paris  or  London— held  the  reputation  as 
a  center  for  innovation.  It  did  not  specialize  in  one  particular  commodity,  as  Carp,  was  known  for  its 
knitwear.  Sassuolo  for  its  tiles,  or  Prato  for  its  textiles.  Rather,  the  city  and  its  surrounding  district 
became  known  for  its  general  approach  to  design,  a  creat.ve  vocation  for  research  and  innovation  in 
both  technical  and  aesthetic  terms  that  may  be  applied  equally  to  design,  fashion,  communications, 
or  applied  technology.  It  might  almost  be  said  that  this  cty.  which  has  the  greatest  concentration  of 
designers  and  stylists  in  the  world,  exports  innovation  in  many  and  various  industries  to  many  and 
various  regions  internationally.  It  is  a  place  where  technologies  are  tried  out  at  their  highest  level  of 
performance— that  is.  the  aesthetic. 

in  part.  Armani's  success  is  aligned  with  Italy's  substantial  textile  system,  with  its  perfect 
spinning  machines  that  guarantee  the  high  quality  of  the  country's  fashion-production  industry.  One  of 
Armani's  accomplishments  has  been  his  ability  to  provide  fashion  with  a  broader  definition,  one  that 
goes  beyond  the  elaboration  of  signs,  colors,  and  accessories.  Arman,  was  the  first  great  designer  to 
see  his  clothing  as  an  integral  par,  o,  a  broader  spatial  universe,  one  that  extended  from  the  fashion 
runways  to  his  stores,  his  houses,  even  his  reserved  lifestyle.  Bu,  he  has  also  provided  a  loftier 
definition  of  textiles,  viewing  them  as  participants  on  the  public  stage,  as  cladding  for  people,  as  a 
mass  component  of  the  urban  landscape.  Armani's  collaboration  with  Marco  Rivetti's  GFT  group  was 
an  occasion  to  experiment  with  a  new  unity  between  fashion's  aesthetic  and  technical  components. 
This  unity  helped  to  establish  higher  standards  throughout  the  clothing  industry.  In  Italy  and  abroad^ 

|p  doing  so.  Armani  was  an  indirect  participant  in  the  evolution  of  society.  Just  as  ,azz  has 
served  to  modify  the  entire  sound  of  popular  music,  and  as  high  ar,  in  the  twentieth  century  has 
ntributed  to  the  development  of  visual  mass  communications,  the  contribution  of  fashion  I  no 
m  d  the  presentation  of  new  models,  but  rather  can  intervene  to  modify  the  quality  of  a  society 
I  re  textile  system.  This  Is  no  small  thing.  Textiles  are  perhaps  one  o,  the  material  element  .  a 
be  re  r  sent  the  level  of  a  society's  well-being.  The  quality  of  the  threads,  the  enduranc 
"brie;   the  density  of  the  knitwear,  the  definition  and  stability  of  the  colors  are  all  part  of  the 

-;::::  r  r^rr:- rrs  i«. .  warPS  - . 

wefts,  of  the  grand  surfaces  of  mass  soc.ety. 


207 


Note 

1. 


wnen  ,  spea*  o,  Anian.'a  c..ss,clam,  I  am  no,  refcmng  «e  hiatorlca,  -ev.vals.  o,  ,0  a  ptoppsa,  a,  systems  o,  ,mp,odao,e 
cer,e,n„es;  ralha,.  I  am  spea„in6  a,  an  apan  system  o,  s,gns.  a  reca^aP.e  Pa,  incomplete  cade,  and  tnus  one  ,da,  cao  pe 
updated,  one  that  is  more  concerned  with  quality  tnan  w.th  style. 


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GUIDO      MOCAFICO 


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RAYMOND      MEIER 


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AND      ARCHITECTURE 
by  Lisa  Panzera 


Armani's  collaborations  with  important  architects  are  well  known.  Peter  Marino  designed  Armani's 
flagship  Madison  Avenue  store  in  New  York,  and  Claud. o  Silvestr.n  his  store  on  Place  Vendome  In 
Paris.  Michael  Gabellini  is  currently  at  work  on  a  three-story  building  on  Via  Manzoni.  Milan,  which  will 
house  several  of  Armani's  bout.ques.  while  Tadao  Ando  is  renovating  the  Nestle  warehouse  building, 
also  in  Milan,  which  will  house  Armani's  new  runway.  All  of  these  amb.t.ous  design  projects  express 
the  beauty  and  simplicity  of  Armani's  aesthetic. 

Armani's  home  on  Via  Borgonuovo.  M.Ian,  indicates  how  clearly  his  life  and  work  overlap:  not 
only  is  it  just  buildings  away  from  his  headquarters  down  the  street,  but  it  is  also-for  now-the 
location  of  the  runway  where  he  presents  his  collections  each  season.  Aesthet.cally.  too.  his  home 
speaks  to  this  convergence  of  life  and  work.  The  low  beige  sofas  and  pristine  surfaces  of  its  interior 
are  md.cat.ve  of  the  spare  minimalism  that  dominates  his  clothing  designs,  a  sleek  modern.ty  that  is 
belied  by  the  exterior  of  the  building,  a  heavy  stone  structure  located  In  an  arcaded  corWe.  Us.ng  this 
typical  Milanese  facade  as  a  foil  for  his  elegant  interior.  Armani  knowingly  and  intelligently  exploited 

the  contrast. 

Parallels  between  Armani's  clothing  and  the  architecture  that  surrounds  him  abound.  Perhaps 
most  evident  among  these  is  the  fact  that  his  garments  assume  the  colors  of  Milan  itself:  beige,  gray, 
and  "greige"  (a  color  of  the  designer's  invention).  The  architecture  that  Armani  inhabits  also  reflects 
his  penchant  and  talent  for  taking  a  well-known,  long-established  design-such  as  the  sult-and 
while  keeping  it  recognizable,  making  it  comfortable  to  l,ve  w,th  and  In.  Just  as  he  transformed  the 
interior  of  his  Milanese  palazzo.  Arman,  has  stripped  his  vacation  homes-in  Pantellena  and  Bron. 
,taly.  and  Saint-Tropez,  France-of  uptight  formality  In  order  to  create  simple  and  comfortable  spaces 
tr>  share  with  friends  and  family. 

p.„,,,i„„.  ,  ,ln,  .ooK,  .—.  ».»«  -I  «m  »»  »•«"  «««"«''  •»'«>  »■'»"' 

:ir„ ».» .,»« — .  -  •■«««  - »"»«« ~» - m  -"*  °" "-  i,,m  ,,c* 

underscore  Armani's  ability  to  m,x  elements  from  widely  divergent  sources. 


Ml 


Courtyard  of  Palazzo  Durini.  Milan, 
Giorgio  Armani's  former  offices 


212 


Armani's  former  offices  In  the  Palazzo  Dur.ni.  Milan,  following  two  pages:  Armani's  vacation  home  In  Pantellen 


I 


217 


Armani's  vacation  home  in  Pantellena 


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219 


Arman.-s  apartment  at  v.a  Borgonuovo  21.  M.Ian 


Armani's  apartment  at  Via  Borgonuovo  21.  Milan 
following  two  pages:  Runway  at  Via  Borgonuovo  21 


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AND      TEXTILES 


by  Catherine  Perry 


facing  page: 

Ske'ch  for  Fall/Winter  1982-83 

following  three  pages: 

Sketches  for  Fall/Winter  1982-83 

Page  229: 

Sketch  for  Fall/Winter  1997-98 


Armani's  use  of  textiles  reveals  a  precise  understanding  of  hne  and  surface  pa.red  with  an  .rreverent 
playfulness.  Arman.  was  the  first  designer  to  use  two  or  even  three  d.fferent  tweeds  per  garment, 
and  his  groundbreaking  comb.nat.on  of  trad.t.onal  patterns-glen  pla.d  w.th  Pr.nce  of  Wales  checks 
or  p.nstr.pes,  for  example-gave  b.rth  to  new  and  creat.ve  Interpretations  of  classic  looks. 
Traditional  weaves  were  reborn  and  assumptions  about  these  textiles,  and  of  how  to  employ  them, 
changed  forever. 

Layering— as  in  his  conjunction  of  tweeds— is  a  central  motif  in  Armani's  work.  Layers,  both 
literal  and  implied,  are  achieved  by  his  manipulation  of  texture  and  pattern  as  well  as  by  the 
convergence  of  opposites:  rough  and  refined,  structured  and  loose,  elegant  and  sporty,  masculine 
and  feminine.  In  adopting  traditionally  masculine  fabrics,  not  just  in  menswear.  but  in  women's  suits 
and  elegant  dresses.  Armani  infuses  these  fabrics  with  unexpected  glamour.  Twill,  a  typically 
utilitarian  weave,  takes  on  a  surprisingly  light  and  feminine  look  when  applied  to  skirts  and  suits. 
Wool  crepe  artfully  maintains  the  authority  of  a  suit  while  adding  surface  dimension  with  a  nuanced 
delicacy,  the  crepe  offering  a  fluidity  and  drape  not  possible  with  more  traditional,  heavier  weaves. 

Armani's  talent  for  reinventing  traditional  concepts  is  evident  in  his  incorporation  of  new 
technologies:  his  summer-weight  fabrics  such  as  silk,  linen,  and  hand-finished  wool,  often  appear 
to  be  organic  even  when  they  incorporate  antiwrinkle  surface  treatments  or  lightweight  technofibers. 
But  this  talent  is  equally  evident  in  his  novelty  variations  of  classic  patterns,  such  as  houndstooth 
and  herringbone,  and  in  his  technique  of  printing,  not  weaving,  them  on  silk,  wool  blends,  and  even 
leather.  Armani  uses  the  pile  or  nap  of  the  fabric  to  manipulate  his  patterns:  naps  of  different  lengths 
or  directions,  for  example,  create  variations  in  color  and  design.  In  other  instances,  he  uses  the 
dimension  of  the  fabric  surface  to  help  define  the  pattern,  incorporating  small  peekaboo  checks  on 
a  man's  faux  velvet  shirt  or  silk-screening  houndstooth  on  suede  or  wool  blends.  In  fact,  surface  and 
texture  often  subvert  structure  as  the  defining  element  of  Armani's  clothing. 

Along  with  the  nap  or  pile  of  a  fabric,  Armani  introduces  surface  dimension  through  the  use 
of  such  innovative  materials  as  corded  silk,  or  by  adopting  techniques  such  as  embossing  on 
leather  or  fabric;  beading  over  prints,  checks,  or  lace;  and  quilting  and  basket  weaves.  The  structure 
of  his  textiles  ranges  from  heavy  and  coarse,  the  texture  of  burlap,  to  web-thin,  the  transparent 
delicacy  of  gauze. 

Armani's  love  of  art  and  its  influence  on  his  designs  is  evidenced  by  his  use  of  patterns.  His 
early  prints  and  florals  are  complex:  tiny  flowers  in  relief  on  fabric  printed  with  larger  ones,  or  small 
abstract  patterns  whose  negative  space  makes  up  a  larger  pattern.  These  latter  are  especially 
intricate,  creating  an  organic  unity  that  results  in  a  muted  elegance  rather  than  chaos.  Patterns  may 
also  be  deceptive,  appearing  to  have  been  printed  on  the  fabric,  while  in  fact  being  either  woven  into 
its  structure  or  shaved  into  its  pile  surface.  Embroidery  and  beading  add  another  element  to  pattern 
and  texture;  often,  they  are  used  to  create  stripes  or  geometric  patterns,  or  are  sewn  over  printed  or 
woven  patterns  or  atop  lace  layered  over  florals.  Appliques,  tassels,  satin  rosettes,  and  details  like 
braided  satin  add  dramatic  and  eccentric  accents  to  Armani's  idiosyncratic  elegance. 


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I. 


105.  Woman's  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1993-94.  106.  Woman's  pantsuit,  spring/summer  1995.  107.  Woman's  pantsuit,  fall/winter 
Armani's  affinity  for  a  Bauhaus  reductivism  does  not  manifest  itself  as  a  blind  functionalism.  Rather,  collarpieces,  the  skirt  of  a  jacket,  oi 


233 


107 


oi      lapel  can  become  an  ornamental  flourish  derived  from  a 


vestigial  structural  component.  Form-g.vi 


ng  details  of  tailoring  and  industrial 


|  techn.ques.  sometimes  refined  and  often  mundane,  are  enlisted  in  a  dual  purpos 


:  to  shape  and  dress  a  garment. 


109 


108.  Woman's  suit,  fall/winter  1995-96.  109.  Woman's  evening  pants  ensemble,  spring/summer  1999.  110.  Woman's  evening  pants  ensemble, 
spring/summer  1998.  111.  Man's  leather  coat  ensemble,  fall/winter  1999-2000.  Here.  Armani  expresses  a  contemporary  mod  iism  by 
embracing  the  sensuality  of  materials  and  forms  while  applying  a  rigorous  paring  of  extraneous  ornament.  Elements  that  are  arguably  less  structural 
than  decorative  function  as  reinforcing  signs  of  the  designer's  narrative  intentions:  the  net  skirt  over  trousers,  for  example,  situates  the  ensembi 


235 


111 


,    ome  des.gns  are  .he  serend.pdous  consequence  of  atructural 
as       „,ngwear  with  gender  transposmon.  On  the  othar  nan.,  connotate  ^  „,  „,.  functl0n  ol  tne  lapel.  and  ,h.  tough.  Mf» 

,o„.  Fo,  examp,e.  a  famt.y  Ch,nese-styie  .ac.et  ,s  aotua,.,  the  rasu  t  o   a 
,  raet  style  of  a  ,eather  coat  la  predicated  on  the  Mgh.ness  o.  a  hem  finis 


112 


112.  Man's  suit,  fall/winter  1991-92.  113.  Man's  raincoat  and  suit,  ca.  fall/winter  1984-85    114.  Woman's  evening  dress  and  pans 
spr.ng/summer  1993.  115.  Man's  coat  and  suit,  fall/winter  1999-2000.  116.  Man's  suit,  fall/winter  1999-2000.     In  menswear.  Arman 
for  his  reduction  and  displacement  of  the  padding  and  interfacings  that  constitute  the  construction  of  the  traditional  suit.  Yet  de^ 
transformation— and  h.s  introduction  of  textiles  of  unconventional  weaves  and  weight  that  lent  an  unprecedented  suppleness  and  con 


114 


,   his  collections  offered  a  relaxation  of  these  conventional  style 
rues,  designs  retained  elements  of  the  prevailing  sllhou.tte.  Quickly,  howeve  .  ^  ^  ^  ^  ^  ^  ^^  ^  „om  ,he  body 

I        „  in  a  woman's  coat  or  sol.  jacket  by  Cristobal  Mm«W'-™™  ^es^er  Imposes  a  stiffly  segmented  geometry  to  a  woman's  evening 
«s  from  contouring  over  the  body's  forms.  In  a  conceptual  reversa  ,  linear.ty  to  his  dressmaking. 

b,e.  Even  as  he  softens  tailoring,  Arman,  confounds  .xp.ct.on.  and  Introduce 


118 


117.  Woman's  evening  jacket  and  shorts,  spring/summer  1992.  118.  Woman's  evening  mini  dress  and  shorts  ensemble,  spring/sum 
119.  Woman's  evening  gown,  fall/winter  1994-95.  120.  Woman's  one-shouldered  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1994.      Surface  o 


-nent, " 


Armani's  hands,  is  implemented  less  for  its  decorative  potential  than  for  its  capacity  to  alter  a  textile's  physical  properties.  He  uses 


bi    ding  as 


239 


119 


120 


„  „Ke  ,acKe,  or  a  heav.1,  draped  wrap  dress.  Th,s  interest  In  the 
L,„  an,  for  its  effect  on  the  "hang"  of  a  texti.e,  producing,  .or  «'m^  '  "^        '„,,  „,„„,.,  hflul<1  fo1ds  free;e  into  „gh,  Pieats  and  sue.cn 
I      i.  characteristic  of  materials  is  seen  in  the  gown  above  (second  from  r,g    I. 
|lo  a  thin  him  like  the  transformation  from  water  to  ice  and  steam. 


121.  Woman'!  evening  gown,  spnng/summer  1992    122.  Woman's  oneshouldered  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1997    123.  Woma, 

gown,  spring/summer  1997.  124.  Woman's  evening  gown,  spnng/summer  1997.  125.  Woman's  one-shouldered  evening  dress,  sprn         ^ 

1998      For  all  his  attraction  to  the  Infinite  variations  of  cloth  and  the  three-drmensronal  potential  of  dress.  Arman,  is  essentrally  a  moden 


\\ 


of  s,  his  gowns  are  often  reduced  to  addressing  a  fundamental  question  of  clothing  c<         ,C"°n'  curvilinear  audacity  of  the 

■  b.omorph.c  engineering  o,  a  Santiago  Calatrava  bridge,  the  e>press,ve  functional.^,  reinforced  . 

{boulders  and  necklines  bring  aesthet.c  consideration  to  the  most  bas,c  structuring  of  dress. 


126 


126.  woman's  evening  gown,  spnng/summer  1989.     The  stark  p.ping  pattern  of  this  gown  delineates  a  projection  of  regula,      o«^ 
emphetically  irregular  contours  of  the  body.  Like  the  bias  tapes  that  mark  style  lines  on  a  dressmaker's  dummy,  the  lines  establish     m^ 
pattern  pieces.  This  simple  geometric  configuration  of  strictly  orthogonal  zones  requires  a  soph.sticated  manipulation  of  the  gram  o. 
Paradox.cally.  unlike  most  of  Armani's  modernist  seaming,  the  structural  complexity  of  the  gown's  cut  Is  not  reflected  in  its  ornament. 


248 


ARMANI,      FILM,      AND      FASHION 


Valerie  Steele 


Giorgio  Armani  has  been  influenced  by  films  both  in  his  clothing  designs  and  his  adverting.  He  has 
also  been  involved  in  many  film  projects,  providing  the  on-screen  wardrobes  for  actors  and  act  ses 
and  in  some  cases,  designing  film  costumes  that  then  influenced  his  own  collections.  In  all  three 
areas-fash,on  design,  advertising  imagery,  and  film  costume-he  has  exerted  a  powerful  influence 
on  the  way  people  dress  In  the  real  world.  There  are  many  facets  of  his  relationship  with  en  a- 
from  the  significance  of  Marlene  Dietrich's  androgynous  style  on  Armani's  designs  for  women.  ,  the 
dissemination  of  the  Armani  style  via  films  such  as  Paul  Schrader's  American  Gigolo  (1980). 

The  relationship  between  fashion  and  cinema  has.  of  course,  been  the  sub, 
considerable  discussion  ever  since  the  1920s  and  1930s,  when  Hollywood  mov.es  focused  att 
on  the  styles  of  the  stars.  Fashion  was  clearly  an  important  component  of  box-off.ce  appeal.  F, 
publicity  for  upcoming  films  was  widely  disseminated,  and  consumers  could  acqu,re  versions  of 
styles  through  retail  outlets  such  as  Hollywood  Fashions  and  Cinema  Shops.  Indeed,  fan  mag, 
such  as  Photoplay,  insisted  that  "Your  Clothes  Come  from  Hollywood.-  Screen  styles  func    med 
simultaneously  as  dramatic  spectacle,  as  a  consumer  guide  to  fashion  trends,  and  as  a 

emulate  the  stars. 

The  academic  discourse  on  cinema  costume  has  grown  out  of  feminist  film  theory.  Cen 
this  critical  endeavor  is  the  argument  that  the  image  of  woman  is  a  •'construction."  By  deconstr 
this  image,  feminist  film  theory  unveiled  the  fabrication  of  femininity.  The  paradigm  of  voye      t 
looking  (the  "male  gaze"),  wh.ch  dominated  early  feminist  film  theory,  was  subsequently  compl.ee 
other  theoretical  paradigms  that  allowed  for  the  possibility  of  alternate  readings  of  filmic Mini      * 
S,gn,f,cantly,  the  images  of  Dietrich  were  centra,  to  this  analysis.*  With  the  rise  of  queer  thee: 
fashioning  of  masculinities  also  became  the  subject  of  critical  attention,  and  a  more  nuanced  pictu 
cinematic  style  began  to  emerge,  identification  with  a  film  star  might  present  viewers  w,th  mi 
self-determination,  but  the  significance  of  that  identification  was  no  longer  self-evidently  hegemo  , 


0 


Fall/Winter  1990-91 


Marlene  Dietrich.  1930s 


There  Is  no  doubt  that  glamorous  stars  influenced  popular  perceptipns  of  how  men  and 
women  should  look,  dress,  and  behave.  In  particular.  Dietrich's  fondness  for  trousers,  both  on-  and 
off-screen,  had  a  powerful  impact  on  fashion  In  the  1930s  and  later.  Dietrich's  legs  were  notoriously 
exposed  for  her  role  in  Josef  von  Sternberg's  Der  olaue  Engel  (The  Blue  Angel.  1930).  Later  the  same 
year  she  appeared  In  von  Sternberg's  Morocco,  wearing  a  top  hat,  white  tie,  and  tads,  In  a 
performance  notable  both  for  Its  gender  ambiguity  and  for  Its  erot,c  appeal  to  both  men  and  women. 
Whether  photographed  onstage,  on-screen,  or  on  the  street.  Dietrich  provided  a  range  of  ,con,c 
,mages  that  entered  the  collective  visual  lexicon. 

•■First  I  uncovered  my  legs,  and  people  were  excited  over  that.  Now  I  cover  my  legs,  and  that 
excites  them  too."  she  told  Motion  Picture  magazine  in  1933.  In  "Marlene  Dietrich  Tells  Why  She 
;e  s  L's  Clothes!"  Dietrich  explained  that  "Women's  clothes  take  ,00  much  time-  is 
listing  shoppmg  for  them.  .  .  .  Then  the  styles  change-and  it  must  all  be  done  over  again,  ve 
ewIo nt  s  It  ,s  ve  y  extravagant  ,0  dress  as  most  women  do.  Men's  clothes  do  no,  change;  can 
Leal  em  as  long  as  I  „ke."  Practicality  was  not  the  only  issue,  however.  She ;  continue,  am 
sincere  in  my  preference  for  men's  clothes-l  do  not  wear  them  ,0  be  sensational.  ...  I 

mU"  mZ:::^ZZ*^«  Offscreen  _«  -users  anc  mannish  tailored  su,, 

■~ — 7  :;h::;he^::r;  t:  :::i « «««.  0,  wom.  „ 

Land,"  and  declared  that  the  author.t.es  ..Drofessor  of  abnormal 


Alfred  Hitchcock,  Notorious.  1946 


In  the  1930s,  women's  social  and  sexual  modernity  was  more  a  question  of  image  than 
reality,  but  it  became  more  real  by  virtue  of  the  growing  acceptance  of  the  pose.  In  fact,  it  was  not 
until  the  1970s  that  many  women  wore  pantsuits  to  their  place  of  work.  Although  it  took  a  lorn  time, 
women's  appropriation  of  man-tailored  pantsuits  marked  a  pivotal  moment  in  the  history  of  wi  ten's 
rights.  Many  designers  have  been  associated  with  this  radical  transformation  of  the  female  wai  obe. 
including  Gabnelle  "Coco"  Chanel,  Andre  Courreges,  and  Yves  Saint  Laurent,  but  there  is  no  qu  stion 
that  Armani  was  among  the  most  influential.  Fashion  writers  agree  that  Armani  "evolv[ed]  a  m  w  way 
of  dressing  for  women  that  was  not  just  a  simple  appropriation  of  items  from  the  male  wardn  but 
the  use  of  them  as  a  source  upon  which  to  build.  He  developed  a  style  for  the  working  worn,  that 
had  an  understated,  almost  androgynous  chic."5 

In  numerous  interviews,  Armani  has  stated  that  Dietrich's  style  was  a  powerful  influe 
his  own  work.  In  April  1995,  the  Berlin  Martin-Gropius-Bau  even  mounted  an  exhibition  entitled      nam 
vis-a-vis  Dietrich.  Certainly  a  comparison  of  period  photographs  of  Dietrich  with  Armani's  adve     sing 
imagery  reveals  a  long-term  infatuation  with  her  style.  The  pantsuit  in  which  Dietrich  scam     ized 
Hollywood  in  1933,  for  example,  provided  the  direct  inspiration  for  several  ensembles  in  Ar 
collection  of  fall/winter  1990-91.  Not  only  is  there  a  recognizable  resemblance  in  color  and  c 
at  least  one  advertising  photograph,  shot  in  nostalgic  sepia  tones,  is  styled  with  the  same 
beret  and  gloves  that  Dietrich  used  to  accessorize  her  notorious  outfit. 

Another  series  of  advertising  images  used  model  Amber  Valletta  as  a  stand-in  for  Dietr.  h.  In 
one  picture,  she  wears  trousers  with  the  same  pose  of  arrogant  authority  that  Dietrich  assun 
another,  she  smolders  in  a  sequined  gown  that  recalls  the  one  Dietrich  was  sewn  into  for  hei 
performances  later  in  her  career.  (When  drag  queens  impersonate  Dietrich,  they  usually  adoi 
type  of  sparkling  skin-tight  gown.)  Of  Dietrich's  films,  Armani  has  mentioned  in  particular  "the  I 
inspiring"  Billy  Wilder  film  Witness  for  the  Prosecution  (1957).  in  which  she  wears  a  dandyisi 


Steven  Spielberg,  Raiders  of 
the  Lost  Ark,  1981 


suit  and  plays  a  woman  who  is  not  what  she  seems. 

There  are  many  more  examples  of  direct  influences  from  Armani's  favorite  films  to  his 
clothing  designs,  some  more  significant  than  others.  Ambiguity  and  deception  also  characterize 
Alfred  Hitchcock's  Notorious  (1946).  a  spy  thriller  starring  Cary  Grant  and  Ingnd  Bergman.  Grant,  of 
course,  epitomized  the  suavely  elegant  "Man  about  Town."  as  R,chard  Martin  and  Harold  Koda 
observed  In  their  influential  1989  book  and  exhibition  Jocks  an,  Nerds:  Men's  Sty/e  in  the  TvenUetn 
Century  •  In  Notor.ous,  Grant  and  Bergman  play  complex  and  mysterious  characters-and  they  do  so 
in  remarkably  similar  checked  suits,  which  seem  the  visual  embodiment  of  their  checkered  lives.  For 
his  collection  of  fall/winter  1984-85.  Arman,  created  men's  and  women's  clothing  characterized  by 
the  same  nuanced  textures  and  patterns.  Here,  surfaces  achieve  primacy,  and  structure  recedes 

mt°  ^  rrstrsese's  Tax,  Or.er  (19T6)  may  have  inspired  Armani's  -*»  <£ 
collection   with  hot  pants  like  those  worn  by  Jod,e  Foster's  teenaged  prostitute,  as  well  as  a  graphic 
kd  whte  ensemble  derived  from  the  clothing  worn  by  Harvey  Ke.tel's  pimp.  Although  attract 

========= 

were  the  white  evening  dresses  of  spr,ng/summer  199   -P  J  Conform,s,a  ^e 


film  studios  as  by  the  moving  pictures  themselves.  This  is  perhaps  not  surprising,  since  ,t  ,s  the 
mythical  aura  of  the  star  that  is  most  relevant  to  the  creation  of  a  fashion  .mage.  Today  the  cult  of 
personality  is  no  longer  restricted  to  Hollywood  stars,  and  viewers  of  an  Armani  advertisement  are 
implicitly  invited  to  insert  themselves  into  the  stylistic  performance  represented  before  their  eyes. 
This  dynamic  is  made  more  complex  still  by  the  undeniable  fact  that  Armani  himself  has  attained  star 
status  and  may  be  able  to  confer  it  on  those  who  wear  his  clothes,  which  are  immediately 

recognizable  as  such. 

Of  course.  Armani  designs  have  also  appeared  in  films.  Armani's  first  project  was  American 
Gigolo,  for  which  he  provided  Richard  Gere's  wardrobe.  According  to  publicity  releases,  no  fewer  than 
thirty  Armani  suits  and  jackets  were  featured  in  the  film,  along  with  numerous  beautiful  shirts.  The 
clothes  were  chosen  directly  from  Armani's  menswear  collection.  These  were  not  "costumes" 
especially  designed  for  American  Gigolo.  Yet  the  identity  of  the  Armani  label  was  crucial  to  the 
definition  of  Gere's  character  as  "an  elite  male  prostitute  in  Beverly  Hills."  who  is  paid  in  sartorial 
gifts  as  well  as  cash.  Indeed,  according  to  journalist  Judith  Thurman.  "His  shopping  trips  provided  the 
film's  true  sexual  excitement." 7  In  addition  to  seeing  his  clients  buying  him  Armani  clothes,  we  also 
watch  the  gigolo  going  through  his  closet  and  lovingly  laying  a  selection  of  clothing  on  the  bed.  Th.s 
scene  is  pointless  in  terms  of  the  plot,  since  after  packing  a  suitcase,  the  character  never  actually 
goes  anywhere.  In  other  words,  the  primary  function  of  scenes  like  these  is  to  establish  that  he  is  an 

Armani  man. 

According  to  Italian  fashion  writer  Giovanna  Grignaffini.  people  already  had  an  image  of 
Armani,  so  within  the  context  of  the  mov.e.  the  clothes  functioned  as  a  sign  "of  verisimilitude."  Not 
only  were  Armani's  clothes  .mmediately  recognizable  to  a  movie  audience  as  .terns  of  "designer 
clothing."  the  clothes  were  "also  perceived  as  being  in  the  realm  of  values."*  In  other  words,  the 
public  already  knew  that  Armani  clothing  signified  casual,  expensive,  sexy  elegance.  However,  as 
Martin  and  Koda  argue,  different  national  audiences  may  have  responded  differently  to  the  meaning 
of  Gere's  costuming;  in  their  view.  It  was  the  film  that  "taught  an  American  audience  to  unde,  .land 

the  Armani  menswear  style."9 

Certainly.  American  Gigolo  reinforced  an  emerging  image.  As  Armani  told  Gentle    an's 
Quarterly  in  1979.  his  style  was  "a  study  in  making  men  look  sexier."-  Armani's  clothe:    jrew 
attention  to  the  body  at  a  time  when  men  were  increasingly  willing  to  be  perceived  as  sex  ol     cts. 
(This  was  also  the  period  when  Bruce  Weber  created  Calvin  Klein's  men's  unde      ear 
advertisements.)  Significantly,  however,  an  Armani  wardrobe  was  also  a  status  symbol,  albe.t 
a  new  age  that  valued  both  personal  liberation  and  financial  success.  What  made  Armani  cl 
perfect  for  American  Gigolo  was  the  way  it  functioned  as  the  tang.ble  sign  of  money  and  I 
charisma    By  1982.  Armani's  reputation  was  so  high  that  such  movie  stars  as  Jack  N.ch 
Dustin  Hoffman,  and  John  Travolta,  as  well  as  Gere,  were  eager  to  tell  a  journalist  from  Time 

their  own  Armani  clothes.11 

•■Armani  disarmed  men  and  their  clothes  erotically  without  unmanning  them."  sug    nu 
Thurman   "He  freed  them  to  be  looked  at  and  desired  by  women  (and  other  men).-  He  accomp 
this    I  would  argue,  by  creating  a  style  based  on  the  famous  "unconstructed"  jacket  made  < 
luxury  fabrics.  It  was  this  jacket  that  was  featured  most  conspicuously  in  Amencan  Gigolo,  alt. 
Gere  was  also  often  shown  In  his  shirt,  and  he  undressed  to  exercise  or  make  love.  Since  a  des 
phallic  hardness  was  visually  represented  by  the  hard  body,  clothing  no  longer  needed  to  functi 
a  defensive  carapace  but  could  instead  be  dedicated  to  the  satisfaction  of  what  Freud  call* 
libido  for  touching."-  As  Martin  and  Koda  observe,  the  softer  unconstructed  jacket  imp 
"sportswear-like  informality"  that  contrasts  with  the  "unyielding  structure"  of  the  traditional  bus." 
suit.  They  also  note  that  "the  shirt  is  often  a  focal  point  of  the  Armani  ensemble."  and  they  co. 
it  with  "the  cascading  luxury  of  Gatsby's  shirts."14 


Both  film  and  fashion  are  an  interpretation  of  the  spirit  of  the  time.  This  is  true  even  of  period 
costume  dramas,  like  Brian  De  Palma's  The  Untouchables  (1987).  set  in  1920s  Chicago,  when  the 
gangster  Al  Capone  battled  Treasury  officer  Eliot  Ness,  and  for  which  Armani  created  some  five 
hundred  garments.  These  costumes  were  not  intended  to  be  accurate  historical  reproductions. 
Instead,  Armani  made  it  clear  that  he  wanted  to  interpret  period  style  according  to  his  own  vision.  For 
this  film  he  created  pinstriped  suits  with  a  high  gorge  and  four  to  six  buttons.  Many  of  the  actors  also 
wore  vests,  period-style  hats,  and  broad-shouldered  topcoats.  Perhaps  inevitably,  his  cinematic 
designs  ended  up  influencing  the  collection  he  was  preparing  for  fall/winter  1987-88.  Even  without 
accessory  weaponry,  the  collection  emphasized  physical  power  via  the  strength  of  the  shoulder  line. 

Throughout  the  1980s  and  1990s.  Armani  worked  on  so  many  film  projects— at  least  one 
hundred— that  in  most  cases  only  the  stars  were  likely  to  qualify  for  "costumes  by  Armani"  or  even 
"selected  costumes  by  Armani."  For  example.  Tom  Cruise  and  Renee  Zellweger  wore  sharp,  stylish 
"costumes  by  Giorgio  Armani"  in  Cameron  Crowe's  Jerry  Maguire  (1996).  whereas  actors  in  lower- 
budget  films  might  have  access,  at  most,  to  a  "wardrobe  by  Giorgio  Armani  and  Emporio  Armani." 
Although  individual  actors  are  probably  exquisitely  aware  of  such  distinctions,  they  are  mostly 
irrelevant  to  audiences.  Many  viewers  do  see  the  screen  credits,  however,  and  are  quite  aware  of 
product  placement  in  films.  Gregory  Hoblit's  1996  film  Primal  Fear  was  not  a  fashion  film  the  way 
American  Gigolo  was— in  other  words.  Armani's  clothes  did  not  function  as  a  virtual  protagonist  in 
this  film— nevertheless,  the  suits  and  ties  that  Richard  Gere  wore  in  Primal  Fear  did  effectively 
enhance  his  role  as  a  smart  and  sympathetic  lawyer.  Likewise,  for  the  new  version  of  Shaft  (2000), 
directed  by  John  Singleton,  Armani  designed  a  streamlined,  contemporary  wardrobe.  He  reinforced  the 
the  ultra-cool,  tough  detective  character  of  John  Shaft,  played  by  Samuel  L.  Jackson,  using  raw-edged 
sleek  tailored  leather  jackets,  sexy  knits,  and  skull  caps  made  from  luxury  fabrics.  No  doubt  Armani, 
through  his  work  for  the  film  industry,  will  continue  to  create  fashion  trends  and  win  new  fans. 

Notes 

1.  Sarah  Berry.  Scree.  Style:  Fashion  and  Femininity  In  1930s  Hollywood  (Minneapolis  and  London:  University  of  Minnesota  Press. 

2000),  p.  16. 

2.  Jane  Gaines  and  Charlotte  Herzog.  eds..  Fabrications:  Costume  and  We  Female  Body  (London  and  New  YorK:  Rout.edge.  1990). 
pp.  1-27.  See  also  Gay.yn  Stud.ar.  In  the  Realm  of  Pleasure:  Von  Sternberg.  Dietrich,  and  the  Masochistic  Aesthetic  (Urbana: 
University  of  Illinois  Press,  1988). 

3.  Quoted  in  Berry.  Screen  Style,  pp.  145-47. 

4.  Quoted  in  Berry,  pp.  154-55. 

5  Richard  Martin,  ed.,  Contemporary  Fash,on  (Detroit:  Saint  James.  1995). 

6  Richard  Martin  and  Haroid  Kcda.  JocKs  and  Nerds:  Men's  Style  In  the  Twentieth  Century  (New  YorK:  R.ZXO.I,  1989). 

7  Judith  Thurman.  "A  Cut  Above:  G.org.o  Armani's  Cool.  Coo.  E.egance."  Conno,sseur  (August  1988).  p.  92. 

8.  covanna  Grlgnaff.nl,  "A  Question  of  Performance,  ,n  Gloria  Bianch.no.  Gra,etta  Butazz,,  et  a...  eds..  Ital,an  fashion:  From  An, 

Fashion  to  Stylism  (M.Ian:  Electa.  1987).  p   24 

R,chard  Mart.n  and  Harold  Koda.  Glorg,o  Armani:  Images  of  Man  (New  YorK:  R.ZZO...  1990).  pp.  9-10. 
Quoted  in  "Armani:  On  the  Loose."  Gentleman's  Quarterly  (September  1979).  p.  120 


9. 
10. 

11. 


Monacelli  Press  and  Pitt.  Immagine.  1999).  p.  91. 
14.  Martin  and  Koda.  Giorgio  Armani,  pp.  9-10. 


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MILAN:      NOTES     FOR     A     SCREENPLAY 


Scorsese  and  Jay  Cocks 


When  the  idea  of  making  a  short  movie  about  Armani  first  came  up  in  1990,  we  had  already  spent  a 
fair  amount  of  time  on  the  general  subject  of  clothes.  Although  we  knew  nothing  at  all  about  design, 
we  were  aware  that  we  liked  to  wear  the  results,  and  talk  about  them.  too.  Along  with  considering  the 
finer  points  of  mise-en-scene  in.  say.  Carol  Reed's  The  Th,rd  Man  (1949).  we  also  admired  Joseph 
Cotten's  suit  and  Trevor  Howard's  long  dark  overcoat,  which  we  could  never  positively  identify  as 
either  a  belted  rubber  slicker  or  a  black  leather  trench.  For  us.  there  was  a  romance  connected  with 
clothes  that  had  much  to  do  with  movies,  and  nearly  as  much  with  our  own  fantasies  of  escape. 

Made  in  Milan,  as  the  Arman,  movie  soon  came  to  be  called,  was  a  chance  to  ground  our  own 
fantasies  in  reality,  and  then  to  establish  a  kind  of  alternative  fantasy  that  had  some  basis  In  fact  as 
well  as  in  our  imagination.  The  movie  would  try  to  chronicle  our  learning  the  fundamentals  of  a  design 
process  that  ended  in  such  offhandedly  beautiful  clothes.  We  hoped  also  to  impart  a  sense  of  the 
mystery  of  the  process,  make  a  cameo  portrait  of  our  friend  Giorgio,  and  try.  as  well,  to  get  some 
incidental  notion  of  the  place  he  works  in  and  the  past  he  works  from. 

A  tall  order.  We  started  to  write,  however,  before  any  doubts  could  daunt  us.  The  script  that 
follows  ,s  the  result.  It  differs  significantly,  even  substantially,  from  the  finished  film,  but  re-reading 
this  text  we  worked  from,  and  subsequently  revised,  we  think  I,  has  the  merits  of  freshness  and 
enthusiasm.  It  conveys-rather  naively,  in  some  cases-our  subjective  sense  of  how  Giorgio  create. 
We  were  not  after  technical  accuracy  here,  no,  at  Mrs,,  and,  to  anyone  at  all  familiar  with  the  dem 
!nd  intricacies  of  a  design  studio,  that  will  be  abundantly  clear.  We  wanted  to  give  a  sense  o,  ,h 

«  of  his  creative  process,  as  we,,  as  the  sensuality  of  the  creation,  and  In  the 
r         ,  our  thoughts  and  feelings  down  first  on  paper,  we  caught,  ,t  seems  now,  an ^impression  h 
stiHurprises  us  of  the  feeling  of  the  clothes,  some  fleeting  sense  o,  purpose  and  soft  enigma  o, 

th6,r  "rhrAlani's  own  words  to  guide  us.  All  his  d,a,ogue  in  the  pages  that  follow  comes 
from  no:!  I  made  of  conversations  we'd  had  with  him  J^TJ^SE 
Unused  interview  materia,  compiled  or,g,na„y  for  ^  ^  ^  ~  of  A,a,n  Resnais's 
words,  we  could  roam  at  wi„  and  free  associate.  We  though :  repeate    y  ^^ 

;::::r,:;r:;ir:rr;=:i:::r:,.f,»,...,. - 

keeps  them  moving. 


AN  ART  GALLERY  NIGHT 

A  /arge  pamt/ng.  Trad/Nona/.  Cowering  a  *ftoto  *a«.  TRACK  a/ong  me  painting  on  the  wall.  We  see  small  groups  „ 
mannequins,  looking  at  the  painting,  and  other  paintings  near  it.  CAMERA  moves  with  a  young  man  (MALE  Model 
1).  walking  past  the  paintings  and  the  mannequins  (who  may  he  part  of  the  exhibit,  or  part  of  the  public, 

GA  (VOICE  OVER) 

I  thought  there  must  be  a  way  of  refining  the  freedom  I  saw  everywhere.  I  had  to  reject  convention. 
But  I  didn't  want  to  discard  everything  that  was  good  in  the  past.  I  wanted  to  find  a  way  to  make 
and  wear  clothes  for  a  time  that  was  less  formal  but  that  still  yearned  for  style.  I  had  to  start  from 
the  foundation. 

CAMERA  moves  off  MALE  MODEL  1  as  he  passes  GROUP  of  mannequins.  MOVES  IN  to  mannequin  wearing  very 
distinctive  Armani  jacket. 

GA  (VOICE  OVER) 

And,  for  me,  the  foundation  was  the  jacket. 


RESEARCH  ROOM 

A  jacket.  Literally  being  deconstructed  in  a  SERIES  OF  DISSOLVES.  Lining  is  removed.  Inner  lining  is  yanked 

Sudden,  quick  SOUNDS  of  tearing. 

GA  (VOICE  OVER) 

Taking  the  structure  out  of  a  man's  jacket  was  a  way  of  loosening  the  form.  And  finding  a  new 
Looking  for  elegance  in  ease.  The  style  had  to  be  almost  surreptitious.  I  developed  a  way  of 
buttoning  and  hanging  which  made  the  lapels  fall  a  little  bit  forward,  in  a  relaxed  way.  Not  well- 
pressed.  Not  perfect.  Not  rigid. 

DISSOLVES  end  on  image  of  beautiful  new  Armani  jacket. 


MIRROR  ROOM 

Close  on  the  same  jacket,  being  shrugged  on  by  a  very  beautiful  MODEL  1.  MOVE  IN  to  her  face. 

GA  (VOICE  OVER) 

My  first  jackets  for  women  were  in  fact  men's  jackets  in  women's  sizes.  I'd  noticed  that  when  vi 
were  with  their  brothers  or  boyfriends,  they  were  always  trying  on  men's  clothes  .  .  .  their  jacke 
their  sweaters,  and  their  trench  coats. 

Move  back  now  to  reveal:  the  jacket. 


GA  (VOICE  OVER) 

Once  they  put  my  jacket  on,  though,  women  could  see  they  weren't  really  dressed  like  men. 
There  was  a  very  subtle  proportion  in  the  tailoring  that  made  it  different.  But  I  kept  the  ease  of 
the  man's  jacket. 


Close  on  a  hand  moving  (slow  motion?)  toward  jacket  pocket,  finally  resting  there  easily. 

GA  (VOICE  OVER) 

The  jacket  gave  the  same  sense  of  comfort  and  security.  She  could  put  her  hands  in  her  pockets. 

GA  comes  into  frame.  He  removes  MODEL  IS  jacket,  then  helps  MALE  MODEL  1  into  it. 

GA  (VOICE  OVER) 

But,  for  men,  I  also  borrowed  something  from  women.  I  wanted  to  give  men  some  of  the  sensuality 

and  suppleness  in  construction  and  fabric  that  were  found  only  in  women's  clothes. 

As  GA  continues  to  speak,  in  two-shot,  young  man  finishes  putting  on  jacket.    Then  he  starts  to  leave. 
CAMERA  unexpectedly  PANS  WITH  MALE  MODEL  1  as  he  picks  up  a  SMALL  VIDEO  CAMERA  and  leaves  the  room. 
CAMERA  follows. 


..as  we  FOLLOW  MALE  MODEL  1.  MUSIC  up;  something  like  the  Melodians  singing  "By  the  Rivers  of  Babylon. 
MALE  MODEL  1  turns  straight  to  camera. 

GA  (VOICE  OVER) 

Think  of  the  way  a  man  dresses.  Think  of  it.  It's  totally  irrational. 


He  aims  the  Sony  Video  8  straight  at  the  camera. 


LWAY  VIDEO 

OUR  MOVIE  CREW:  on  VIDEO. 


JTORIA 


shoot  all  the  people  sitting  at  the  table. 

0N  Vloso.  m*  MooeL  ,  *-  W  of  Vents.  «  —  «  -t  ~*  -*.  -  -  — *  " 

food.  A  full  bounty  of  regional  food  on  the  table. 

rr« ,ik*  ::■;  ":: rrri.,— — — 

Probably  because  they're  beautiful. 

„         MOOK  1   She  ««*s  in  m  csmer,  Su«,en,y  s*e  «r*.  .J**  «*  —  «  ~  ft.  lens. 
VIDEO  shot  ends  on  MODEL  1.  5ne  iouh* 

Screen  goes  BLACK. 


MALE  MODEL  IS  APARTMENT  NIGHT 

MALE  MODEL  1  enters.  Loosens  his  tie.  Hangs  up  his  jacket. 

GA  (VOICE  OVER) 

My  jackets  change  all  the  time.  The  shape,  the  line,  the  detail.  But  always  I  want  them  to  look 

as  if  they  had  hung  in  your  closet  for  years.  Like  something  that  you'd  owned  forever. 

Hold  on  jacket,  as  it  hangs  in  closet,  DISSOLVING  TO  .  .  . 


MEN'S  RESEARCH  ROOM 

.  .  .  Drawing.  Of  a  jacket. 


Then  we  see, 


rough  sketches. 


many  sketches  of  designs.  The  drawings  are  part  of  a  huge  pile  of  fashion  drawings  and 


GA  (VOICE  OVER) 

Men's  clothes  are  almost  easy  for  me.  A  welcome  routine.  I  do  a  men's  collection  the  way  a  piani 
might  practice  scales.  But  there's  more  to  do  with  women's  clothes.  More  shapes  to  try.  More  ide 
more  combinations.  More  anxiety.  And  more  adventure. 


256 


MILES     ALDRIDGE 


ELLEN     VON      UNWERTH 


TERRY      RICHARDSON 


ENRIQUE      BADULESCU 


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ADVERTISING      STILLS 
by  Karole  Vail 


Reflecting  his  longtime  fascination  with  the  cinema,  Armani's  fashion-advertising  campaigns  are 
infused  with  cinematic  elements  and  atmospheres.  A  blurry  image  of  a  desolate  car  brings  to  mind 
the  Italian  neorealist  cinema  of  the  1940s,  and  humorous  echoes  of  Federico  Felllnl's  1970  film 
/  Clowns  (The  Clowns)  can  be  traced  in  the  spring/summer  1981  men's  Circus  collection, 
photographed  by  Aldo  Fallai.  While  postwar  European  cinema  has  inspired  Armani  throughout  his 
career,  it  is  the  glamour,  beauty,  luxury,  and  illusory  magic  of  Hollywood— and,  in  particular,  its  stars 
of  the  1930s  and  1940s— that  have  had  the  greatest  impact  on  the  designer's  vision  and  the 
presentation  of  his  image. 

The  fall/winter  1987-88  women's  collection  campaign,  photographed  by  Fallai,  features 
dramatically  lit.  seductive  close-up  portraits,  recalling  publicity  shots  of  stars  like  Greta  Garbo  and 
Veronica  Lake  by  studio  photographers  such  as  George  Hurrell.  The  spring/summer  1991  campaign, 
again  shot  by  Fallai,  is  similarly  reminiscent  of  Hollywood  photography.  It  also  recalls  the  purposeful 
mystery  of  German-born  photographer  Horst's  famed  early  formal  studio  shots  of  fashion  models, 
photographed  with  meticulous  precision  against  austere  and  often  geometric  backgrounds. 

The  nonchalant,  cocky  couple  in  the  fall/winter  1993-94  campaign  evokes  the  mythical  bank 
robbers  Bonnie  and  Clyde,  with  a  sense  of  freedom  elicited  by  the  models'  loose  and  comfortable 
clothing.  A  man  sporting  a  tough-looking  unzipped  jacket,  white  T-shirt,  and  sneakers  from  the 
spring/summer  1997  men's  collection  recalls  such  legendary  macho  film  stars  as  James  Dean  or 
Marlon  Brando,  while  another  wearing  loose  white  trousers  from  the  spring/summer  1996  collection 
brings  to  mind  the  legendary  and  elegant  dancer  and  actor  Gene  Kelly.  All  three  campaigns  were  shot 
by  Peter  Lindbergh,  one  of  the  first  contemporary  fashion  photographers  to  appropriate  cinematic  259 
lighting  techniques  to  re-create  the  atmosphere  of  the  film  still. 

Perhaps  most  influential  on  Armani  has  been  the  immaculately  dressed  star  persona  of 
Marlene  Dietrich,  the  femme  fatale  par  excellence.  Her  androgynous  glamour  and  sexual  ambiguity  are 
conveyed  in  a  collection  of  photographs  by  Lindbergh  featuring  model  Amber  Valletta  wearing  Armani. 
Significantly,  in  1995,  at  the  Martin-Gropius-Bau  in  Berlin.  Armani  curated  an  exhibition  entitled 
Armani  vis-a-vis  Dietrich,  which  incorporated  Dietrich's  restored  clothing  as  well  as  his  own  designs. 
The  leitmotif  of  the  exhibition  was  androgyny,  exemplified  by  the  tuxedo,  suit  jacket,  and  wide 
trousers,  elements  that  have  defined  Armani's  look  for  women  throughout  the  years  just  as  they 
characterized  Dietrich's  personal  style. 


Fall/Winter  1987-88 


261 


Spring/Summer  1981 


263 


Fall/Winter  1993-94 


4 


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facing  page:  Fall/Winter  1993-94;  above:  Spring/Summer  1997: 
right:  Spring/Summer  1996 


Spring/Summer  1991 


\ 


Special  project,  Amber  Valletta 
photographed  by  Peter  Lindbergh,  1995 


) 


2 


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ARMANI      AND      FILM      COSTUME:      CREATING      CHARACTER 
by  Catherine  Perry 

Armani  has  provided  wardrobes  or  costumes  for  over  one  hundred  films  internationally.  But  although 
the  influence  of  the  cinema  on  his  own  collections  has  often  been  considered,  there  is  a  converse 
relationship  that  is  less  explored  yet  equally  enticing:  What  do  Armani's  designs  represent,  literally  or 
symbolically,  in  a  film?  And  further,  how  is  a  character  defined  by  wearing  Armani? 

There  is  a  saying  among  wardrobe  designers:  "The  first  thing  to  know  about  a  character  is 
how  much  money  they  make  a  year,  then  you  will  know  how  they  dress."  Certainly,  Armani's  "designer 
value"  confers  a  certain  economic  status  on  those  who  can  afford  his  clothes.  But  beyond  the 
obvious  attributes  of  wealth  and  luxury,  there  are  personal  qualities  that  are  associated  with  them  as 
well.  His  clothes  imply  an  erotic  subtext,  an  almost  casual  sensuality  that  is  echoed  in  his  relaxed 
structures  and  tactile  fabrics.  And,  equally  important,  there  is  an  inherent  suggestion  of  class  and 
taste.  His  clothes  represent  not  just  expensive  designer  wear,  but  they  require  a  certain  knowledge 
and  refinement,  a  true  appreciation  of  quality  and  beauty  rather  than  ostentatious  show. 

In  Armani's  first  film  project,  American  Gigolo  (1980),  director  Paul  Schrader  employed  the 
designer  to  help  define  Richard  Gere's  character,  an  elite  male  escort  to  privileged  status-discerning 
clients  in  Beverly  Hills.  The  character's  preference  for  Armani  revealed  a  young,  urban  sophistication. 
As  Gere's  portrayal  became  the  epitome  of  sleek  sensuality  in  pursuit  of  money  and  power,  Armani, 
already  defined  as  "cool  and  sexy."  became  synonymous  with  seductive  elegance.  Soon  after,  1980s 
icon  Don  Johnson,  as  a  charming  detective  on  television's  Miami  Vice,  sealed  Armani's  fate  as  the 
designer  for  the  charismatic,  sexy  male  protagonist. 

In  films  ever  since,  Armani  has  continued  to  represent  beauty,  taste,  and  subtle  eroticism.  In 
The  Comfort  of  Strangers  (1990),  Schrader  again  used  Armani  to  demonstrate  wealth  and  power,  this 
time  portraying  a  more  mysterious,  menacing  sexuality  in  the  character  of  Robert,  a  dangerously 
sadistic  Italian  businessman  played  by  Christopher  Walken.  Robert,  obsessed  by  an  English  couple  on 
holiday  in  Venice,  is  driven  by  a  need  for  power  and  a  quest  to  reclaim  the  sexual  authority  he  feels 
has  been  lost  by  men  of  his  generation.  A  sort  of  armor,  his  square-shouldered  suits  with  soft-moving 
fabrics  and  clean  lines  embody  the  character's  aspirations. 

Armani's  clothes  have  been  used  in  films  that  cross  worlds  and  times.  In  Brian  De  Palma's 
The  Untouchables  (1987),  his  "roguish,"  broad-shouldered  interpretation  of  1920s  Chicago  dress 
added  panache  and  drama  to  the  story,  set  in  an  era  restrained  by  prohibition.  Ten  years  later,  in 
Andrew  Niccol's  Gattaca  (1997),  his  designs  embodied  a  vision  of  perfection  and  triumph  in  a 
futuristic,  genetically  enhanced  world.  And  characters  in  the  high-powered  realms  of  Hollywood  film 
and  sports  agency  wore  him  like  a  banner  of  their  driving  ambition  in  Anthony  Drazan's  Hurlyburly 
(1998)  and  Cameron  Crowe's  Jerry  Maguire  (1996). 

Even  in  comedies  and  lighter  fare,  placing  characters  in  Armani  can  lend  credibility  to  their 
causes  and  help  to  illustrate  their  struggles  and  aspirations.  Here,  Armani's  role  as  the  consummate 
standard  of  excellence  and  unparalleled  good  taste  is  often  most  clearly  defined.  In  Michael  Lindsay- 
Hogg's  The  Object  of  Beauty  (1991),  Armani  was  the  choice  for  characters  with  faultless  style  and 
extravagant  lifestyles,  while  in  John  Patrick  Shanley's  Joe  Versus  the  Volcano  (1990),  Armani 
symbolized  the  modern  American  ideal  of  accomplishment:  when  Tom  Hanks's  character,  Joe  Banks,  a 
depressed  clerk  with  little  in  life,  is  offered  a  brief  chance  to  live  like  a  king,  the  first  stop  on  his 
shopping  spree  is  inevitably  a  Giorgio  Armani  store. 


paul  Schrader,  American  Gigolo,  1980 


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Andrew  Niccol.  Gattaca.  1997 


Anthony  Drazan.  Hurlyburly,  1998 


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r.  The  Comfort  of  Strangers.  1990 


Walter  Hill.  Streets  of  Fire.  1984 


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M0VING      IMAGES 
by  Karole  Vail 


Armani  has  been  influenced  by  the  world  of  cinema  ever  since  he  was  a  small  child  in  his  native 
Piacenza.  His  father  gently  used  to  tease  Armani  and  his  older  brother  by  promising  that  they  might  go 
to  the  cinema,  the  uncertainty  enfolded  in  that  very  word  "might"  being  quite  unbearable  to  the 
youngsters.  In  fact,  the  boys  were  often  taken  to  the  local  cinema  on  Sunday  afternoons.  Upon  their 
return  home,  they  would  continue  their  cinematic  experience  with  a  multitude  of  invented  stories  that 
they  related  and  acted  out  to  their  parents. 

Armani"s  great  fascination  with  the  cinema  has  been  brought  to  bear  throughout  his  design 
career.  Not  only  has  he  participated  in  the  creation  of  films  by  designing  wardrobes  for  an  array  of 
different  movies,  but  this  passion  has  also  surfaced  in  his  own  collections.  Often,  his  designs  allude 
to  cinematic  memories  of  films  he  has  seen  by  evoking  their  mood  or  costuming.  One  of  Armani's 
earliest  film  memories,  for  example,  is  elicited  in  his  spring/summer  1990  collection,  in  which  tops 
with  heraldic-looking  motifs  appear  to  hark  back  to  the  first  feature  film  that  Armani  saw  as  a  small 
boy:  Alessandro  Blasetti's  La  Corona  di  ferro  {The  Iron  Crown,  1941),  a  kind  of  Wagneresque 
Nibelungen  saga  with  highly  decorative  and  extravagant  costumes. 

Some  of  Armani's  favorite  films  are  the  Hollywood  movies  from  the  1940s  and  1950s, 
including  Alfred  Hitchcock's  Notorious  (1946)  and  Billy  Wilder's  Witness  for  the  Prosecution  (1957), 
whose  glamorous  female  and  male  casts  have  stimulated  his  evening  collections.  The  designer  has 
also  found  inspiration  in  some  of  the  works  of  the  great  directors  of  the  latter  part  of  the  twentieth 
century,  including  Akira  Kurosawa,  Bernardo  Bertolucci,  and  Martin  Scorsese.  The  shimmering 
bustiers  composed  of  compressed  panels  in  Armani's  impressive  and  critically  acclaimed  fall/winter 
1981-82  women's  collection  can  be  traced  to  the  oyoroi,  protective  armor  worn  by  high-stationed 
Japanese  warriors,  seen  in  Kurosawa's  warrior  saga  Kagemusha  (1980).  Ten  years  later,  in  his 
elegant  spring/summer  1992  women's  eveningwear  collection,  which  included  long  dresses  with 
generous  decolletages  and  high  frontal  slits,  and  again  in  spring/summer  1996,  Armani  translated 
the  chilling  long,  sleek,  black  and  white  evening  gowns  worn  by  Stefania  Sandrelli  and  Dominique 
Sanda  in  Bertolucci's  politically  wrought  //  Conform,sta  (The  Conformist,  1970).  At  the  other  extreme, 
in  h.s  light  spring/summer  1995  women's  collection,  which  included  tiny  beaded  shorts  and  matching 
boleros,  he  adopted  the  sexy  and  playful  ultrashort  hot  pants  worn  by  Jodie  Foster  in  Scorsese's  tale 
of  urban  alienation,  Taxi  Driver  (1976).  And  the  following  year  he  incorporated  the  tight  white  T-shirt 
worn  by  Harvey  Keitel  in  the  same  movie  into  his  minimalist  spring/summer  women's  collection. 


-all/Winter  1981-82 


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above:  Akira  Kurosawa.  Kagemusha.  1980 


facing  page:  Fall/Winter  1981-82 


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SNAPSHOTS      OF      MILAN:      EMPORIO      ARMANI      BILLBOARDS 
by  Alberto  Abruzzese 

In  1984  a  large  wall  on  Via  Broletto  in  Milan  became  both  visible  and  invisible,  when  Armani  installed 
the  first  in  an  ongoing  series  of  vast,  wall-sized  images  there.  Though  ostensibly  advertisements  for 
Emporio  Armani,  the  images  also  revealed  to  the  city  Armani's  dream:  to  have  the  eye.  rather  than 
bricks,  bring  forth  the  metropolis  that  had  always  been  missing,  not  only  from  the  Lombard  capital, 
but  from  Italian  culture  as  a  whole.  Via  Broletto  provides  the  best  clue  for  interpreting  Armani's  wider 
aesthetic  project,  which  extends  well  beyond  the  exceptional  artistic  and  entrepreneurial  success  of  a 
great  designer. 

Armani's  metropolitan  dream  fit  perfectly  within  certain  fundamental  coordinates  of  Italy 
in  the  1980s.  During  these  years  the  entry  of  private  television  into  the  old  Italian  media  system 
(which  tended  to  be  monocultural)  marked  a  quantitative  leap  in  collective  consumption,  as  the 
new  television  system  fostered  the  rapid  development  of  a  mass-consumer  audience.  But  the 
effect  was  qualitative,  too:  a  process  was  set  in  motion  whereby  everyday  life  became 
metropolitan,  modern,  and  the  world  of  fashion  offered  a  culture  that  was  different  from  the  forms 
and  strategies  of  the  market.1 

Like  Benetton,  which  was  developing  its  corporate  image  during  the  same  period,  the  Armani 
label  was  identified  by  a  clear  and  strongly  innovative  marketing  plan  that  rejected  all  preestablished 
boundaries  between  nationalities,  genders,  generations.2  Yet  while  Benetton's  advertising  used  the 
world  of  Benetton  products  for  social  critique,  overturning  their  usual  meaning,  the  world  of  Armani 
products,  instead,  was  used  to  construct — in  selective,  indeed  stylistic,  fashion— an  alternative  for 
the  mass-consumer  imagination.  Armani  worked  with  the  substance  of  dreams,  with  the  temporality  of 
myths,  with  comfort.  He  sought  the  extreme  possibility  that  modern  development  still  allowed  for  the 
transformation  of  the  classical  into  experience,  into  present  time,  into  use. 

Exposed,  the  Via  Broletto  wall  was  transformed  into  a  gigantic  screen  depicting  Milan  and  its 
history.  This  was  the  Milan  of  consumers  (Milano  da  bere  [Milan,  drink  it  In],  as  the  well-known  slogan 
for  Ramazzotti  by  Marco  Mignani  said)— the  industrial  city  where  Italian  modernity  expressed  both  its 
aspirations  and  its  endemic  limits,  without  the  alibi  of  being  impeded  by  historical  and  bureaucratic 
ruins,  as  in  Rome,  or  by  a  cityscape  with  a  rich  cultural  patrimony  but  no  mass  of  humanity 
or  industry,  as  in  Florence,  or  by  a  regal  but  expropriated  grandeur,  as  in  Naples. 

Thus  Armani  exploited— in  an  utterly  innovative  way  with  regard  to  fashion-advertising 
strategies— the  living  medium  of  a  city  without  equal  within  the  Italian  panorama.  Milan  straddles 
the  static  and  dynamic  worlds,  a  condition  embodied  in  the  urban  landscape  of  Via  Broletto.  which 
can  be  read  as  a  fracture  between  slowness  and  speed,  city  and  metropolis,  community  and 
society.  It  is  here,  in  this  double  nature,  that  Armani's  images  have  not  only  their  roots,  but  also 
their  generative  power. 

The  language  of  Armani's  images,  which  is  suspended  between  the  casualness  of  graffiti  and 
the  predetermination  of  painting,  was  chosen  by  the  designer  in  order  to  have  the  city  speak  about 
itself,  about  the  life  it  has  experienced,  but  also  about  something  other  than  itself  and  thus  of  the 
metropolis.  The  images  are  characterized  by  a  movement  between  the  visible-pure  and  simple 
commercial  advertising,  its  explicit  writings,  its  simple  posters-and  what  goes  beyond  the  visible, 
what  Armani,  from  the  beginning,  more  than  twenty  years  ago.  saw  in  the  "abyss  between  what  people 
were  beginning  to  want  and  what  the  industry  was  offering."  ■  His  billboard  represented  the  definitive 
surfacing,  after  years  of  gestation,  of  a  new  subjectivity:  the  living  body  of  the  consumer,  ever  freer 
from  the  constrictions  of  high  fashion,  but  also  from  the  trivialities  of  mass  production.  Not  only  were 
spring/summ*  1984  they  a  sort  of  emotionally  inventive  graffiti,  but  they  were  also  -mages  of  reality. 


293 


Year  after  year,  Armani's  Via  Broletto  site  has  celebrated  both  the  expectation  and  *u 
presence  of  another  way  of  living:  a  sense  of  things  and  people,  of  places  and  experiences  freed  f 
the  bonds  of  physical  territory  and  tradition,  depicted  through  a  metropolitan  dream.  The  drea 
always  the  same  and  yet  always  different,  just  as  the  spirit  of  Armani's  fashions,  from  the  st 
alternated  between  imagination  and  repetition.  Within  this  rhythm,  Armani  created  his  casualness 
freedom,  qualities  that  sociologist  Georg  Simmel,  in  his  1905  essay  "Philosophic  der  Mode  "  h 
seen  in  the  manners  of  the  metropolitan  individual.  Casualness  and  freedom  distinguish  the  Arma 
jacket  from  all  others.  It  has  become  the  sign  of  an  Italian  sensibility  of  the  metropolis,  a  sign  so  viv  d 
that  it  has  become  a  sort  of  logo  recognized  around  the  world. 

In  1980,  for  the  film  American  Gigolo,  Armani  dressed  Richard  Gere's  character,  whos 
frenzied  meticulousness  for  his  wardrobe  would  become — and  this  is  no  accident — the  psychological 
cipher  of  the  serial  killer  in  American  Psycho,  the  hyper-metropolitan  1991  novel  by  Bret  Easton  Ellis 
So  even  prior  to  his  murals,  Armani  had  worked  for  Hollywood,  a  place  that  exists  somewhere 
between  the  past  (New  York)  and  the  future  (Los  Angeles).  Armani  knows  the  meanings  of  these  great 
metropolises  and  he  experiences  their  spaces.  That  world — where  the  realms  of  the  imaginary  and 
the  real  are  so  strongly  integrated — forms  his  mental  matrix  and  the  matrix  of  what  he  wants  to 
create.  This  causes  him  to  go  beyond  being  a  mere  creator  of  clothing  and  fashion  shows,  to  become 
the  designer  and  producer  of  a  more  ambitious  undertaking.  He  creates  the  metropolis  beyond  the 
metropolis  itself,  even  where  it  isn't,  where  it  hasn't  been,  and  where  it  never  will  be. 

Armani  began  at  La  Rinascente,  an  Italian  department  store  without  the  metropolitan  quality 
of  comparable  stores  in  Paris  or  London.  He  delved  into  this  cultural  gap,  finally  recreating  the 
metropolitan  substance  of  Hollywood  when  he  opened  his  own  Emporio,  a  selling  place  where  the 
object  under  the  spotlight  is  a  lifestyle,  not  a  piece  of  clothing  per  se.  This  is  the  Armani  who  made 
the  Via  Broletto  images  possible. 

Armani's  images  are  an  immaterial,  abstract  screen,  but  one  that  is  inseparable  from  its 
physical,  concrete  site.  They  are  a  metaphor,  not  only  of  the  spirit  of  fashion,  but  also  of  what  is 
most  profound  about  fashion,  what  nurtures  it,  the  wellspring  from  which  it  draws:  life.  In  the  fir  \ 
billboard  of  1984.  four  young,  well-dressed  young  men  appeared.  Their  ties  said  it  was  no  longer  the 
1970s,  but  the  new  time  of  a  more  mature,  mass  democracy.  They  seemed  to  have  been 
photographed  in  secret— that  is,  as  if  they  weren't  actors  but  real  people,  casual  figures  existing  f 
themselves  and  not  for  the  glances  of  those  who.  passing  by,  saw  them  in  all  the  alienation  of  their 
gigantic  dimensions. 

This  Gulliver  effect,  this  distance/closeness  between  the  everyday  nature  of  the  spect 
and  the  artificial  magnitude  of  the  images,  produced  an  amazement,  a  Benjamin-like  shock  th 
forced  the  passerby  to  observe  in  a  mode  of  suspension  or  interval  that  could  be  called  the  mode 
the  sublime.  One  of  the  four  youths,  more  relaxed  than  the  others,  takes  care  of  himself  rather  th 
of  his  status.  It  was  the  first  sign  of  a  long  dialogue  between  the  simulacra  of  fantasy  and  the  truth 
things.  From  that  time  on,  Armani's  images  have  described  the  variations  and  nuances  with  which 
quality  suit— the  idea  of  a  suit,  its  sentiment — recounts  the  activities  of  the  group  and  the  clan,  th 
sense  of  belonging  and  flight,  closeness  and  detachment. 

Translated  from  the  Italian  by  Marguerite  Shore 


Notes 

1.  On  the  television  revolution  of  the  1980s  ,n  Italy,  see  Alberto  Abruzzese.  Lo  splendore  delta  TV  (Genoa:  Costa  &  Nolan.  1995). 

2.  On  Toscani  and  Benetton,  see  Alberto  Abruzzese.  -Toscani:  A  Neo-Modern  in  a  Post-Industrial  World,"  In  Leonardo  Arte.  ed..  Ohviero 
Toscani  al  muro/Visual  Art  in  United  Colors  of  Benetton  CommumcaVon,  exh.  cat  (Rome:  Museo  Nazionale  delle  Artl  e  Tradizionl 
Popolan,  1999).  pp.  8-13.  In  Italian  and  English. 

3.  Armani,  quoted  in  Linda  Gobbi.  Francesco  Morace.  Roberto  Brognara.  and  Fabnzio  Valente.  "Emporio  Armani:  .1  boom  dello  stile 
trasversale."  in  their  /  Boom.  Societd  e  prodotti  degh  anni   80  (Milan:  Lupetti.  1990),  pp.  119-47. 


following  eighteen  pages:  Fall/Winter  1998-99.  Spring/Summer  1988.  Sprmg/Summer  1990,  Fall/Winter  1994-95. 
Fall/Winter  1997-98.  Fall/Winter  1985-86.  Spring/Summer  2000.  Sprmg/Summer  1991,  Fall/Winter  1992-93 


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128 


127.  Woman's  evening  tunic  and  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95.  128.  Woman's  evening  vest  coat  and  pants  ensemble,  fall/w 
1994-95.  129.  Woman's  evening  jacket  and  skirt,  fall/winter  1989-90.  130.  Woman's  evening  Jacket  and  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  19E 
Armani's  historicism  has  the  selective  and  synthesized  character  of  cinema  costume.  Essential  signs  of  an  era— a  fretwork  of  beads  on  a  blac 


M 


129 


130 


coa,  a  pointed  walSt  on  a  Ve,ve,  .o.ce.  o,  a  tro^oe,,  *-  .*,  —  mo«Ves    are  *^^;  *££££ 

missionary  of  the  late  sixteenth  or  early  seventeenth  century. 


318 


131.  woman's  even.ng  tunic  and  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95.  132.  Woman's  evening  bodice  and  sK.rt,  spnng/summer 
133.  Woman's  evening  lacket.  ov.r.klrt,  and  pants  ensemble,  spring/summer  1990    134.  Woman's  evening  bandeau  and  pants  .n..      ^ 
spring/summer  1990.     Narrat.ves  In  Armani's  collect.ons  are  often  the  result  of  his  rarif.ed  allusions.  Faithful  interpretations  are  rare,  but 


319 


132 


134 


occur  ,„  nls  oeuvre.  as  in  tne  Leon  BaKs,  an.  Bai.ets  Busses-inspire*  oriental  e.en.ng  ensern.es  on  tne  r,gn,  ,n  otner  Instances  it  Is  ~  «« 
ascriPe  a  source  or  sources  to  «.  extraordinary  conflations.  Tne  ense.oie  on  tha  iaft,  for  exampie.  suggests  a  cn.mer.ca,  ..  o,  a 
Page  painted  by  Domenico  Ghirlandaio  with  Louis  XIV  costumed  as  Apollo. 


320 


135 


„..  W.n,.,.  even,*  ,.,  spring/Summe,  «..  OS.  Won,.,.  «~~—  <^*  "*--  ^        "'        ^  „^ar  „lustr8t. 
h.lt.M,.eK  even,,  ,w,  sp„ng/summe,  UN.  ,33.  W.n,„s  eve„,ng  swea.e,  an-  .K-rt,   a  /w.nte    »      - ~      - .  .. 
ab0ve.  A,man,  con)ufes  ea„y  Rena.ssance  noPHKy,  !930s  Ho.ly.ood  g.a.ou,.  an„  fln-de-e.eo.e  prop   ety  „  «'*"^"        „on  „ 
fences  „.  estaPHsPed  througP  one  oon.pe.Ung  deta,,  .aw,  ,-  eacP  per.od,  w„h  the  success  o,  n,e  s,mu,a„on  Pased 


321 


138 


bias-twist  neckline 

'1 


„  lhe  „...y  o«  a  bnde  in  a  pa,n„ng  by  Jan  van  EvcK.  a  P.as,^,  nec«,,„ 
ngle  tellIng  aSpec,  He,e  a  ga,e,ed  *-  0,  a  -*,  J^^^  ^  society  women  .ep-ote,  *  I-  S,nge,  Sa,gen,  an 
s  Carole  Lombard  or  Jean  Hariow.  and  a  ,ong  sweep  ..  tram 


that  s 

evokes 

Giovanni  Boldini. 


322 


-.  — -  -  - -  ••:"•": :;::  ;,t;:;:; : : ;:  z:r„„ ..... ,  -  .-<» 

A  spo.tswe.Mlk.  ease  mforms  Armani's  even.ngwe.r.  whether  msp.red  by  the  1950s. 


140 


142 


141 


., .... ...... .  — - — •■  "rr:r,::;:r::r::ir:r:::xt: 

vA,hiiP  thP  eleeant.  form-fitting  effects  of  earner  siy 
inched  like  a  sarong  at  the  torso.  While  the  elegant. 


iasterpieces 


iimost  completely  disappeared. 


SELECTION      OF      ARMANI: 
ENTRIES       BY      HAROLD      K  0  D  A 


MEN'S      AND       WOMEN'S       COLLECTIONS, 

1976-2001 


CHRONOLOGY 


SELECTED      BIBLIOGRAPHY 


A    SELECTION    OF    ARMANI: 
ENTRIES    BY    HAROLD    KODA 


Woman 's  evening  dress,  spring/summer  1997 

Taupe  silk  chiffon  with  bugle  beads,  rhmestones,  sequins,  and  metallic  s„ver 

thread  embroidery 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

An  Lani  evening  dress  is  often  a  manifestation  of  the  com  adictory 

impUlses  to  bare  and  conceal.  Th,s  slip  dress  of  sheer    nude    chiffon  ,s 

invested  with  a  modicum  of  modesty  through  the  doubling  of  its  layers. 

Reflective  appliques  of  silvered  beading  and  sequining  contribute  an 

additional  form  of  concealment  for  erogenous  zones.  These  gestures  of 

modesty  however,  are  subverted  by  the  low-buttoning  cam,sole  closure 

and  the  high  center-front  slit  hem.  which  prov.de  opportunity  for  further 

bust  and  leg  exposure. 

2  and  4 

woman's  evening  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1995-96 

Bodysuit:  nude  nylon  Knit  mesh  yrlth  appl.pue  of  m.cro  seed  deads,  bugle  beads. 

mini  seou,ns.  cabocbon  stones,  rbinesrones.  and  faceted  beads  secured  eft, 

micro  seed  beads;  pants:  multicolor  floral-printed  silk  satin 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Woman's  evening  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1995-96 
Bodysuit:  nude  nylon  Ml  mesb  rth  appHpue  of  micro  seed  beads,  bugle  beads. 
nJse0u,ns.  oabocbon  stones,  rbinestones.  and  faceted  beads  secured  «n 
micro  seed  beads,  pants:  multicolor  floral-printed  silk  satin 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

in  these  two  ensembles,  pants  evocative  of  1920s  lounging  pajama 
bottoms  establish  the  watercolor  palette  of  the  jeweled  plastron  and  cuffs 
of  the  sheer  net  bodysuits.  A  foiiate  beaded  relief  that  seems  to  have 
mig  ated  and  expanded  ,nto  three  dimensions  from  the  scrolling  ch,no,ser,e 
patterns  of  the  sl.k  pants  provides  camouflage  to  the  wearer  ra  he  than 
true  coverage.  But  though  the  torso  is.  in  fact,  exposed,  it  is  with  the 
sense  " the  nudity  of  the  tattooed:  the  tattooed  body  is  never  quite  naked 
to  the  eye. 

Woman  's  evening  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1995-96 

Bodysuit:  nude  nylon  knit  mesh  with  raised  floral  applique  of  micro  seed  beads, 
bugle  beads,  and  mm,  sequins  secured  with  micro  seed  beads;  pants:  gold 
micro-pleated  rayon/acetate  blend  satin 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan  .,    .„n 

The  crimped  satin  of  these  pants  recal.s  the  hand  pleating  of  Mariano 
To  tunys  Delphos  dresses,  suggesting  that  the  pants-like  ™-*    ^ 
gowns  before  them-m,ght  be  appropriate  attire  for  intimate  "men! 
fn  a  typical  Arman,  synesthetic  coordination,  the  bois-de-rose  satin  is 
juxtaposed  with  the  beaded  rose  motif  of  the  bodysuit  and  a  three- 
dimensional  rose-petaled  neckpiece.  Chromatic  essence  becomes 
beaded  pattern,  which  is  transformed  into  sculpted  form. 


3 

Woman's  evening  shorts  ensemble,  spring/summer  1995 

■■Corset"  top:  black  rayon  jacquard  with  raised  floral  applique  of  sequins. 

rhinestones,  and  seed  beads;  shorts:  black  silk  organza 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

Whife  the  beaded  bustier  derives  its  structure  from  eighteen,  h-  arid 

nineteenth-century  corsetr,  its  heavily  encrusted  form ,  a.  foe _  »* 

breastplates  of  Teutonic  heroines  seen  In  the  ^^"T^  lke. 

memory,  Alessarforo  Blasetti's  La  Corona  d,  ferro  ^J^U 

it  protects  arid  shields  the  fragile  jacquard-  arid  organza-enclosed  body 


c 

Woman's  evening  bustier  and  skirt  ensemble,  spring/summer  1988 

Bustier  navy  blue  silk  organza  with  sequins,  navy  blue  silk  chiffon  shirring,  and 

gray  rayon  braiding;  skirt:  black  silk  chiffon  and  light  blue-green  foliate-patterned 

silk  organza 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

By  the  end  of  the  nineteenth  century,  even  corsets  had  covers.  The  layers 

of  underpinnings-from  chemise  to  camisole,  corset,  corset  cover. 

oetticoat  and  overpetticoat-generally  progressed  from  less  to  increasingly 

m0re  adorned.  Armani  takes  elements  of  these  layers  and  submits  them 

to  a  postmodernist  jumble.  But  while  they  are  inspired  by  a  renewal  of 

me  layers  of  historical  underpinnings,  certain  details  establish  other 

references.  The  hitched  gypsy  skirt  and  outer  corselette  with  a  Northern 

African-style  passementerie  edge  combine  to  suggest  the  Islam-influenced 

forms  of  Andalusia. 

Woman's  evening  bodice  and  skirt  ensemble,  spring/summer  1988 
Bodice-  navy  blue  silk  organza  with  sequins,  shirred  navy  blue  silk  chiffon,  and  gray 
s„k  braiding;  skirt:  dark  blue  silk  chiffon  and  light  blue  floral-prmted  silk  organza 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan  ,,...*„ 

joinfng  evocations  of  gypsies  dancng  and  the  hiked-up.  pethcoa ted  skirts 
of  peasants  in  the  fields  to  the  appearance  of  an  odaiisque  s  s,lk-bandaged 
rso  this  ensemble  combines  the  styles  of  Spain  and  its  Northern  African 
neighbors.  By  doing  so.  Armani  blends  the  wildly  expressive  emotion  of 
gypsy  dances  with  the  languorous  restraint  of  the  seraglio. 

8 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  sk,rt.  spring/summer  1988 
°Ckef  navy  me  and  gray  florai-pattemed.  d.scharge-pnnted  m/tiscose/cVHm 
Ind  chin  *  handmade  French  .no,  «  Outtons;  sWrt:  black  nylon  M* 
Black  nylon  'horsehair  braid,  and  blue  silk  braid 

S5SSST "tt.  order  of  cr,no„ne  and  sk.rt.  the  skirt 

mes  a  kind  of  lining  while  the  exposed  petticoat  reveals i  tte  naburs 
of  its  structure  in  bands  of  stiffened  "horsehair"  braid.  The  tghtl  fitted 
T^sh-style  .acket  plays  against  the  petticoat's  unfinished  effect. 

9 

Woman's  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1997 

Gown:  charcoal  gray  nylon  knit  mesh;  pants  (not  visible  m  photography  black 

silk  satin 

often  subverts  this  effect.  By  beading  giant  peonylike  floral  clusters in 
mt  ight     u    on  b,ack  net.  and  then  backing  the  ensemble  from  waist 
Twn  with  black  satin  pants,  the  graphic  duality  of  the  a^ue.s 
compromised.  This  deliberate  muting  of  the  pattern     cap  c  ty  t    be 
is  then  offset  by  the  one  Custer  blooming  across  the  bust  that 
dramatically  silhouetted  against  the  torso's  pallor. 


activated  against  a  background  of  another  more  luminous  layer,  the  faint 
haze  of  supporting  net  veils  the  underlayer. 


10 

Woman's  evening  pants  ensemWe.  spnng/summer  1997 

Too:  Black  nylon  km,  mesh  sM  faceted,*  and  ^  ^^^J  „/m  Wue 

nyion  me  with  micro  seed  heads  and  black  rayon  velvet  applique,  pants.  Hg 

nylon  knit  mesh  with  bugle  beads  and  sequins 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan  ,„»,._,  ,„pnda  Pants 

Much  of  Armani's  beading  operates  with  a  setf-null.1y.ng  agenda^  Pa 

with  horizontal  bands  of  subtly  colored  bu^e  beads ^  ^  ^     ttern 

overlaid  with  a  sheer  net  scrim  embe.l.shed  with  a         uate fo  a     P 

of  jet  beads.  Yet  even  in  this  instance,  where  one  layer  of  beading 


11 

Woman's  strapless  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1999 

Nude  nylon  knit  mesh  with  clear  sequins  and  seed  beads  secured  with  orange, 

red.  and  turquoise  thread,  and  off-white  nylon  tulle  overlay 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

The  beaded  banding  of  this  gown  is  comprised  of  clear  sequins  and  seed 

beads  infused  with  the  colors  of  their  anchoring  threads.  The  effect  is  a 

frosty  rendering  of  the  flame-stitched  knit  patterns  of  the  early  1970s. 
But  in  its  organic  irregularity  and  crusty  relief,  the  banding  also  implies 
the  stratified  layering  of  agate  and  other  striated  geologic  forms.  As  In  so 
many  other  examples  of  the  designer's  work,  the  glint  of  the  beading  is 
obscured  by  a  veil  of  tulle. 


12 

Woman's  strapless  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1999 

Orange  silk  organza  with  seed  beads,  sequins,  and  rhmestones.  and  pale  mauve 

nylon  tulle  overlay 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

The  juxtaposition  of  saturated  colors  in  this  gown  produces  a  v.v.d 

optical  conflict,  as  the  small  clusters  of  blue  beads  contrast  with  the 

orange  silk  against  which  they  are  laid.  As  in  the  late  pa.nt.ngs  of  Claude 
Monet  the  fibrillation  of  the  violent  chromatic  contrast  seems  opposed  to 
what  preceded  it.  yet  an  overview  of  Armani's  work  reveals  that  this 
strategy  has  an  extended  history  within  his  oeuvre-the  only  difference 
here  being  one  of  wattage. 

13 

Woman's  strapless  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1999 

Two-tone  gray  silk/rayon  blend  chiffon  with  gray  silk  satin  appl.que.  seed  beads. 

rhmestones.  and  cupped  sequms.  and  stee,  gray  nylon  tulle  overlay 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  directional  beading  and  overlay  of  dark  net  do  not  simp  y  mute 

the  highlights  of  this  gowns  embroidered  patches.  Rather,  the  ove lay 
ends  depth  to  the  beading's  shadowed  areas.  A  smoldering  ,n  escence 
om  s  rom  th,s  careful  modulation  of  the  reflective  effects  o  the  b    ds. 
Z  er.  their  unified  orientation  results  In  a  blurred  grain  to  the      ges 
of  the  highlights,  not  unlike  the  feathered  boundaries  within  a  Mark 
Rothko  painting. 

"    s  tousonjacet  ensemble:  jacket:  ca.  HMO  1978-79:  pants: 

22£S££~  ~ — - -~; T ,aupe  w00' sa,een 

G»tfo  Armani  Archives.  Milan.  Gift  of  Mm.  and  Jay  <**■ 

.nsulate  the  wearer  In  inclemency.  ^J^^ZJ***  «—* 
The  mutability  of  the  jacket  shown    ere-wNch    as  a  ^ 

jacket's  lank,  degage  hang. 


327 


15 

Man's  shirtjacket  ensemble;  shirtjacket!  ca.  fall/winter  1982-83; 

pants:  ca.  1980-85 

ShlrtjBCket:  i,ght  beige  suede;  pants:  taupe  and  khaki  brushed  wool  twill 

G,org,o  Arman,  Archives.  Milan.  Gift  of  Verna  and  Jay  Cocks 

Armani's  confident  use  of  leather  in  Its  various  weights  and  textures- 

and  his  surprising  application  of  it  in  garments  such  as  pleated  trousers. 

T-sh.rts  and  pullovers-are  founded  in  his  many  years  of  experience  as 

the  designer  of  leatherwear  for  Sicons.  In  this  suede  shirtjacket.  the 

Arman.  touch  is  evident  In  the  placement  of  the  buttons,  which  serve 

as  a  sign  of  merged  paradigms:  on  the  one  hand,  they  reflect  a  sh.rtl.ke 

positioning,  but  on  the  other,  they  are  omitted  from  the  waist  down  as 

they  would  be  in  a  jacket. 

16 

Man's  sports  jacket  and  sweater  vest  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95 
Jacket:  green  wool/polyamide  blend  plain  weave;  vest:  brown  alpaca  knit; 
pants:  mustard  brown  wool/v.scose/polyamide/acetate  blend  novelty  weave 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  thick  layering  of  textures  and  unexpected  colors  in  this  ensemble 
suggests  the  wardrobe  of  a  professor,  writer,  or  country  gentleman. 
However.  Armani  introduces  an  informal  suavity  to  the  tweedy  rusticity 
by  easing  the  fit  of  the  components  and  by  exaggerating  traditional 
patterns  and  applying  them  in  unconventional  ways.  Any  primness  expires 
in  the  soft,  but  straight  drop  of  the  jacket  front  from  the  shoulders,  and, 
when  teamed  with  supple  trousers  that  also  drape  loosely,  this  produces 
an  effect  of  barrel-chested  vigor  rather  than  academic  restraint. 

17 

Woman's  jacket  and  skirt  ensemble,  spring/summer  1987 

Jacket:  gray  cotton/nylon  blend  glen  plaid;  blouse:  off-white  silk  organza; 

skirt:  gray  wool  striped  novelty  weave 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

This  tailored  ensemble  for  women  is  reminiscent  of  mens"  sports  jacket 

and  slacks  combinations.  Interpreted  for  women,  the  jacket  has  been 

shorn  of  lapels  and  pockets  and  reduced  to  a  proportion  intermediate  to 

jacket  and  waistcoat.  This  is  combined  with  emphatically  feminizing  details 

that  are  somewhat  atypical  for  the  designer:  a  scallop-embroidered  hem 

on  the  skirt  and  a  Peter  Pan  collar  on  the  shirt.  Expressed  in  materials 

with  masculine  associations,  these  flourishes  suggest  an  ironic  intent. 

18 

Man's  vest  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95 

Vest:  brown  cotton  velvet;  shirt:  pale  green  cotton  poplin;  pants:  brown  wool 

novelty  weave 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

On  the  runway,  as  here,  the  Armani  man  is  endowed  with  a  disheveled 

nonchalance:  shirts  are  unbuttoned,  sometimes  to  the  waist,  and 

waistcoats  are  commonly  anchored  by  only  one  of  their  buttons.  This 

casual,  diffident  effect  plays  against  the  precision  of  the  garments"  cut 

and  their  carefully  controlled  drape.  After  creating  an  ensemble  of  tonal. 

textural.  and  proportional  balance,  the  designer  disrupts  this  sartorial 

order  with  an  entropic  chic. 

19 

Man's  jacket  and  sweater  vest  ensemble,  fall/winter  1993-94 

Jacket:  dark  brown  cotton  corduroy;  vest:  brown  wool  knit  with  gray  wool  knit  trim; 

pants:  brown  and  light  gray  wool/polymide/elastan  blend  ribbed  novelty  weave 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Since  the  Edwardian  era.  the  stocky  male,  if  properly  attired,  has  enjoyed 

a  phys.cal  authority  not  shared  by  his  feminine  counterpart,  and  here 


Armani  conjures  the  prepossessing  bulk  of  a  bear  of  a  man  by  piling  layer 
upon  sensual  layer.  The  leather  buttons  and  piped  pocket  trimming  of  this 
corduroy  jacket  suggest  sources  in  regional  Austrian  dress. 

20 

Man's  sports  jacket  ensemble,  fall/winter  1992-93 

jacket:  black,  beige,  and  white  wool  houndstooth;  pants:  gray  wool/ 

polyamide/elastan  blend  twill 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Although  the  Armani  silhouette  has  witnessed  innumerable 

transformations  in  the  past  twenty-five  years,  a  relatively  stable 

component  in  his  proportioning  of  male  attire  is  the  fixing  of  the  trouser 

waist  at  a  point  slightly  higher  than  is  seen  in  traditional  menswear. 

Over  this  faintly  truncated  torso  and  elongated  legs.  Armani  juxtaposes 

his  more  mutable  jacket  designs.  The  alignment  of  this  jacket's  top 

button  with  its  elevated  waistline  is  rather  rare. 

21 

Woman's  suit,  fall/winter  1979-80 
Gray  wool  boucle  tweed 

The  Museum  at  the  Fashion  Institute  of  Technology.  New  York.  Gift  of  Jay  Cocks 
Every  haute-couture  house  has  two  separate  ateliers,  one  for  the  tatlleur 
and  one  for  the  flou.  This  distinction  between  the  skills  of  tailoring  and 
dressmaking  is  fundamental  to  the  thinking  of  most  designers.  Yet  Arman,. 
schooled  in  the  ranks  of  a  different  mechanism  of  production-pret-a- 
porter  rather  than  couture-mixes  the  techniques  of  both  in  a  chimerical 
simultaneity  of  forms.  Here,  suggesting  a  total  mastery  of  both  methods, 
a  man's  suit  jacket  is  gathered  in  a  waist-cinching  drape. 

22 

Man's  three-piece  suit,  fall/winter  1990-91 

Dark  brown  and  beige  wool/cotton/linen  blend  herringbone-patterned  twill 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  three-piece  suit-that  dressiest  form  of  male  business  att. re-evolved 

in  the  late  nineteenth  century,  when  jacket,  vest,  and  trousers  were  first 

cut  from  the  same  cloth.  The  sportswear-like  ease  of  Armani's  rendering 

here  is  more  a  consequence  of  the  suit's  supple  fabric  and  loose  cut  than 

it  is  of  the  collarless  shirt.  The  jacket  is  exaggerated  in  its  length,  but 

because  of  the  designer's  reconfiguration  of  button  stance  and  gorge,  a 

Zoot  suit  mannerism  is  averted. 

23 

Woman's  pantsuit.  fall/winter  1998-99 
Gray  and  off-white  wool  mini-checked  novelty  weave 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

This  pantsuit  for  women-conceived  as  a  Eurasian  mix.  according  to 
Arman.-eomb.nes  Western  textile  and  suit  references  with  the  stand- 
collar  styling  that  recalls  the  classless  and  genderless  uniforms  of  Maoist 
China.  From  the  perspective  of  costume  history,  the  ensemble  also  revives 
an  eighteenth-  and  nineteenth-century  style  found  in  military  uniforms. 
In  a  time  when  sabers  were  as  much  a  part  of  warfare  as  guns,  a  double- 
layered  jacket  front  with  quilted  interfacings  provided  some  small 
protection  to  the  wearer. 

24 

Man's  suit,  fall/winter  1990-91 

Gray  wool  striped  novelty  weave 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Armani's  tailoring  for  men  incorporates  certain  body-enhancing  strategies 

used  by  the  great  Spanish  couturier  Cristobal  Balenc.aga.  For  Balenc.aga 

at  a  time  when  Christian  Dior's  New  Look  had  reintroduced  the  nineteen! 


century  primacy  of  the  waist— the  critical  point  of  suspension  for  any 
garment  was  the  shoulder.  In  this  jacket  for  men,  deflated  shoulder  pads, 
placed  in  a  slightly  different  position  than  usual,  allow  the  sleeves  and 
chest  pieces  to  fall  without  collapsing  or  constricting.  In  addition,  the 
textile  has  been  cut  to  hang  slightly  away  from  the  body  at  the  waist,  only 
to  cleave  to  the  back  haunches  at  hip  level.  Like  a  Balenciaga  gown, 
which  was  said  to  accommodate  "a  little  belly."  the  Armani  jacket  invests 
the  less-than-ideal  torso  with  a  largely  illusional  V-shaped  taper. 

25 

Woman's  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1994-95 

jacket:  gray  and  tan  tussah  silk/rayon  blend  plaid  novelty  weave: 

pants:  gray  silk  satin 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

The  scaled-down  man's  jacket  applied  to  womenswear  is  an  idea  that 

appeared  in  Armani's  earliest  collections.  But  unlike  his  earlier  efforts,  in 

which  the  transposition  of  men's  tailoring  to  women's  sportswear  seemed  to 

occur  without  any  alterations,  here  Armani  has  excised  much  of  the  jacket's 

collar  and  eliminated  the  chest  pocket.  The  result  is  an  unarticulated  and 

supple  expanse  of  fabric  left  to  register  subtly  the  topography  of  the  bust. 

Combined  with  trousers  widened  to  the  fullness  of  a  skirt,  the  jacket 

forms  part  of  an  ensemble  of  capacious,  minimalist  ease. 

26 

Woman's  pantsuit,  fall/winter  1995-96 

Beige  and  black  viscose/nylon/wool  blend  shadow-striped  compound  weave 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

This  pantsuit  merges  two  silhouettes  from  contiguous  decades.  Its 
mann.sh  shoulders  are  straightened  and  extended  with  pronounced  sleeve 
caps  in  the  manner  of  the  late  1930s  and  early  1940s,  when  fashionable 
women  sported  a  broad-shouldered  trunk  that  tapered  into  a  narrowed, 
girdled  hipl.ne.  Here,  however,  the  waist  is  suppressed  and  the  hips  have 
a  distinct  curvature:  the  silhouette  of  the  war  years  merges  with  the 
hourglass  silhouette  of  Dior's  New  Look.  While  most  suits  have  a  fish  dart 
concealed  under  the  jacket's  lapels  to  accommodate  the  chest  or  bust 
Armani's  shaping  is  accomplished  simply  by  the  extension  of  the  shoulder 
line  and  the  darting  of  the  waistline.  No  vertical  collapse  occurs  at  the 
juncture  of  shoulder  and  chest,  as  is  observable  in  most  menswear  styles 
for  women. 

27 

Woman's  three-piece  pantsuit,  fall/winter  1993-94 

Suit:  gray  and  beige  wool  novelty  weave:  shirt:  white  silk  chiffon 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Since  the  nineteenth  century,  the  three-piece  suit  has  been  the  unrform  of 

the  Establishment  male.  But  with  relatively  small  modifications-  ghtwe.ght 

fabric,  boxy-cut  waistcoat,  and  drawstring  pants-Armani  accomplishes 

such  profound  transgressions  that  this  suit  could  never  be  confused  w,th 

,ts  masculine  precedents.  Cut  without  regard  to  conventional  fit.  ft 

repudiates  the  very  basis  of  tailoring,  and  the  padded  and  >™ttoned-up 

corporate  armor  of  the  businessman  is  transformed  ,nto  a  new  paradigm 

for  the  professional  woman. 

28 

Woman's  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1993-94 

Jacket:  brown  and  black  wool/cashmere  blend  houndstooth:  pants:  dark  green. 

tan.  and  maroon  silk/acetate/rayon  blend  novelty  weave 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan  1JliHenpri 

Balancing  the  masculine  Wrth  the  feminine.  Armani  combines  «ened 

shoulders  of  this  double-breasted  jacket  with  a  suppressed  «»£  »* 

rounded  hlpllne.  Although  the  resulting  silhouette  is  inarguably  femlnme, 


there  is  a  further  sartorial  manipulation  that  confirms  its  gender:  the 
collar  with  a  lowered  notch  is  constructed  like  a  peaked  lapel,  but  with 
the  outline  of  a  shawl  collar.  An  inventive  form  outside  the  codified 
parameters  of  traditional  menswear.  the  collar  is  thus  ascribed  to  women, 
who  are  given  a  broader  range  of  expressive  devices  in  dress. 

29 

Woman's  pantsuit.  ca.  fall/winter  1985-86 

Tan  silk  herringbone 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan.  Gift  of  Verna  and  Jay  Cocks 

It  is  inevitable  that  Armani  would  envision  a  suit  pared  of  all  but  the 

most  elemental  parts.  What  remain  are  trousers  paired  with  a  jacket  shorn 

of  collar  and  lapels.  Interestingly,  the  jacket  front  is  overlapped,  as  in 

a  double-breasted  suit  or  perhaps  a  kimono.  Thus  the  jacket  alludes  to  a 

modernism  that  prizes  asymmetry  and  the  elimination  of  ornament,  while 

also  recalling  the  simplicity  of  regional  styles  and  untailored  traditions. 

30 

Woman's  suit,  fall/winter  1994-95 
Light  olive  silk/wool  blend  novelty  twill 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan.  Gift  of  Verna  and  Jay  Cocks 
Armani's  impulse  toward  minimalism  is  not  at  the  expense  of  visual  or 
conceptual  complexity.  This  suit  jacket  is  based  on  the  draping  of  a  double- 
breasted  front  panel,  but  its  collarpiece  has  been  eliminated  and  what 
would  normally  be  the  fabric  for  a  conventional  lapel  has  been  folded  back 
on  itself  to  form  an  origami-like  rever.  The  rigorous  balance  of  the  skirt, 
cut  to  fall  with  a  flattened  center  panel  and  deep  flutes  at  the  sides, 
anchors  the  asymmetry  of  the  jacket. 

31 

Man's  suit,  fall/winter  1982-83 

Navy  blue  wool  pinstriped  novelty  weave 

The  Museum  at  the  Fashion  Institute  of  Technology.  New  York. 

Gift  of  Jay  Cocks 

In  the  construction  of  the  earliest  of  Armani's  power  suits  for  men.  a 
crisp  faintly  linear  silhouette  conformed  to  prevailing  ideas  of  professional 
dress  Where  Armani  departed  from  the  standard,  however,  was  in  his 
use  of  textiles  with  a  springier,  more  supple  hand  than  the  stiff  trad.t.onal 
worsted  wools.  Also,  by  eliminating,  famously,  much  of  the  interl.n.ngs. 
and  excessive  padding  seen  in  conventional  tailoring,  his  apparel 
enhanced  the  bodies  of  a  generation  of  men  who  prized  a  new.  elevated 
standard  of  physical  fitness. 

32 

Man's  suit,  fall/winter  1978-79 

Navy  blue  wool  gabardine 

The  Museum  at  the  Fashion  Institute  of  Technology.  New  York. 

Gift  of  Robert  L  Turner 

At  the  time  of  Armani's  entry  into  the  field,  tailored  menswear  was  a 

ca  led  collection  of  conventions.  Good  suits  were  made  from  a  standard 

reoertoire  of  textiles,  with  a  limited  range  of  cuts  and  a  checklist  of 

e      n    e«a  is.  such  as  pocket  flaps,  interfacings,  and  shoulder  and  chest 
padding-  Arman,  pared  away  much  of  this  for  a  sleeker  line  and  enhanced 

omfort.  Compensating  for  the  absence  of  hidden  structural  supports 
entailed  a  reconsideration  of  the  very  shape  of  the  pattern  pie  es.  What 
^masterful  about  an  Armani  suit  is  that  its  form  Is  almost  abusively 
a  consequence  of  its  cu,  and  the  body  of  its  textile,  not  the  hidden 
prosthesis  of  padding. 


33 

Woman's  pants  ensemble  with  overskirt,  fall/winter  1996-97 
Shirtjacket  and  shirt:  off-white  silk  crepe;  overskirt:  black,  off-white,  and  brown 
floral-printed  silk  organza:  pants:  off-white  nylon  ottoman:  tie:  black  silk  satin 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

When  pants  with  overskirts  first  appeared  in  the  1950s,  the  overskirt 
generally  suggested  an  informal  at-home  dressiness,  comfortable 
luxury,  and  (open  at  the  front  to  reveal  skintight  capri  pants  beneath) 
modest  coquetry.  In  Armani's  iterations,  the  earliest  examples  of  which 
date  to  his  spring/summer  1977  collection,  the  overskirt  is  less  a 
marker  of  decorum  or  sexuality  than  it  is  one  of  issues  of  gender.  Here, 
an  unstructured  white  suit  with  shirt,  tie,  and  boutonniere — explicitly 
transgender  and  decidedly  not  for  wearing  at  home — is  securely 
appropriated  to  the  feminine  by  the  overskirt. 

34 

Man's  suit.  ca.  fall/winter  1995-96 

Blue  wool  pinstriped  crepe 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan.  Gift  of  Verna  and  Jay  Cocks 

Here.  Armani  revives  the  stylish  double-breasted  suits  of  the  1930s, 

but  with  his  characteristic  alteration  of  proportion.  By  dropping  the  skirt 

of  the  jacket,  the  waist-thickening  double-breasted  front  is  compensated 

for  by  a  slimming  attenuation.  After  this  gentle  reproportioning,  the  style — 

not  generally  recommended  for  the  stout — is  available  and  flattering  to  all. 

Further,  the  designer's  evisceration  of  traditional  tailoring  depends  upon 

accommodating  materials.  Wool  crepe,  with  its  lightness  and  springy 

hand,  provides  Armani  with  his  ideal  medium. 

35 

Woman's  jacket  and  pants,  spring/summer  1998 

Jacket:  charcoal  gray  rayon  twill:  pants:  dark  blue-gray  and  blue-green  striped 

silk/rayon  blend  satin 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Faintly  Chaplinesque,  with  its  torso-cleaving  jacket  and  straight-cut  pants. 

this  ensemble  was  presented  on  the  runway  with  a  narrow  tie  and  no 

shirt.  Although  Armani  has  always  criticized  the  excessive  use  of  nudity 

in  fashion,  he  does  not  shy  from  controlled  exposure  of  the  body.  Here 

the  flash  of  bare  torso  is  less  a  proposal  than  a  prop:  the  vulnerability  of 

the  body  to  exposure  underscores  the  validity  of  the  jacket,  even  when 

reduced  to  a  chic  if  meager  line  that  precludes  its  closure. 

36 

Woman's  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1995-96 

Jacket:  black  wool  twill:  pants:  gray  wool/rayon  blend  chalkstriped  compound  weave 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

Unlike  Armani's  analogous  pieces  for  men.  his  jackets  for  women 
frequently  evidence  radical  departures  from  the  stylistic  conventions 
of  tailoring.  In  this  piece,  the  angled  breaking  of  the  lapel  from  the 
collarpiece  creates  a  portrait  neckline — albeit  a  restrained  one.  with  roots 
in  the  styles  of  the  late  1930s  and  early  1940s.  What  is  essentially 
a  man's  jacket  endowed  with  a  woman's  neckline  is  then  paired  with 
trousers  with  contradictory  gender  signals:  the  chalkstriped  fabric  is 
typical  of  menswear.  but  their  uncreased  and  wide-cut  pajama-like  fluidity 
situates  the  pants  more  ambiguously.  Like  a  Surrealist  corps  exquis, 
the  ensemble  unfolds  in  parts,  from  the  transformed,  feminized  neckline 
to  the  masculine,  tailored,  double-breasted  waist,  and  finally  to  the 
androgynous  legs. 

37 

Woman's  "Bermuda"  suit,  spring/summer  1992 

Jacket  and  shorts:  orange  silk  crepe:  shawl:  orange  silk  chiffon 


Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

Like  Balenciaga — who  also  designed  shorts  ensembles,  despite  his 
reputation  for  decorous  formality — Armani  plays  with  line-attenuating 
strategies  in  this  "Bermuda"  suit.  By  pairing  a  jacket  with  Bermuda 
shorts,  Armani  allows  a  longer  expanse  of  leg  to  be  exposed  without 
self-consciousness  than  would  be  possible  with  a  similarly  short  skirt. 
He  also  imbues  the  neck  with  a  swanlike  grace  by  eliminating  the  jacket's 
collarpiece.  Strong  color — an  arresting  traffic-cone  hue — and  design 
adjustments  calculated  to  create  the  gangly  proportions  of  youth  might 
allude  to  Balenciaga,  but  the  supple  ply  of  the  suit's  textile  can  only 
be  Armani. 

38 

Woman's  suit,  fall/winter  1980-81 

Olive  wool/rayon  blend  twill 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan,  Gift  of  Verna  and  Jay  Cocks 

Unlike  many  Armani  tailored  ensembles,  which  are  endowed  with  the 

interchangeability  of  sportswear,  this  suit  jacket  is  proportioned  to  be 

worn  to  best  advantage  with  its  skirt.  The  jacket  is  cut  long,  and  serves 

as  a  mechanism  to  control  the  opening  of  the  skirt.  More  importantly, 

the  lowered  button  stance,  centered  between  shoulder  and  hemline  rather 

than  at  the  natural  waist,  not  only  deepens  the  jacket's  neckline,  but 

also  serves  as  a  proportional  mechanism  to  unify  jacket  and  skirt  into 

a  merged  whole. 

39 

Woman's  "muscle  tee"  top  and  skirt,  fall/winter  1998-99 

Top:  gray  mohair  knit:  skirt:  gray  wool/rayon  blend  novelty  twill 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Armani  utilizes  a  variety  of  strategies  in  his  appropriation  of  male  dress 

for  women.  Here,  a  sleeveless,  beefcake  "muscle  tee"  is  dematenalized, 

its  ostentatious  torso-hugging  qualities  replaced  by  the  more  elusive 

disclosures  of  a  smoky,  loosely  worked  mohair.  A  floor-grazing  skirt  with 

belt  loops  and  a  fly-front  closure  assumes  an  equally  Tiresian  whimsy, 

as  if  pants  in  the  process  of  transformation  into  a  skirt  were  frozen  in 

mid-conversion. 

40 

Woman's  cowl  top  and  pants,  fall/winter  1998-99 
Top:  pink  silk/elastomer  blend  crepe:  pants:  pink,  light  blue,  and  gray 
angora/cashmere/rayon  blend  crepe 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

In  an  example  of  the  extraordinary  technical  mastery  required  to 
accomplish  the  simplest  of  effects,  a  sophisticated  manipulation  of 
the  bias  cut  endows  this  silk  blend  blouse  with  the  ease  of  a  hooded 
sweatshirt.  An  elliptical  seam  discloses  a  conical  construction  that  results 
in  the  fluid  release  and  collapse  of  folds  at  the  cowl  neckline  and  the 
shoulder-cleaving  tautness  that  holds  the  top  in  place.  Redolent  of  the 
glamorous  gowns  of  the  Hollywood  designer  Adrian,  the  top  is  the  yin 
to  the  yang  of  the  full-cut  1940s  hipster  pants. 

41 

Woman's  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1998-99 

Jacket:  gray  and  ocher  wool/nylon  blend  mini-checked  novelty  twill: 

hooded  bodysuit:  pink  nylon  knit:  pants:  pink  wool/rayon  blend  crepe 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

A  men's  fashion  editorial  spread  of  the  early  1980s  presented  athletic 

young  models  wearing  richly  textured  and  patterned  tweed  jackets  by 

Armani  over  hooded  gray  fleece  sweatshirts.  The  feature  captured  the 

designer's  love  of  unexpected  juxtaposition  together  with  the  adaptable 

ease  of  his  soft  jackets.  While  jackets  and  sweatshirts  are  hardly  of  the 


formality  one  expects  of  eveningwear,  Armani  reprised  this  idea  in  a  group 
of  evening  ensembles  for  women  in  his  fall/winter  1998-99  collection. 
Here,  the  basic  elements  are  elevated  a  notch  from  their  original  example: 
the  jacket,  in  a  fine-striped  wool  blend,  appears  to  have  been  a  part  of  a 
business  suit,  while  the  sweatshirt  is  a  body-clinging  fine-gauge  jersey. 

42 

Woman's  evening  gown  and  coat,  fall/winter  1998-99 

Coat:  steel  gray  wool/elastomer  blend  plain  weave;  gown:  sage  green  silk  crepe 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

In  this  evening  ensemble,  the  Armani  twist  is  found  in  his  rendering  of  the 

coat  in  a  gray  wool-blend  suiting.  Despite  its  tailored  sleeves,  the  coat  has 

the  ease  of  a  lounging  robe  or  kimono,  attributable  to  the  narrow  shawl 

collar  and  unconstrained  shape,  as  well  as  to  the  presence  of  elastomer 

in  the  fabric,  which  contributes  body  and  bounce  to  its  soft  fluting. 

43 

Woman's  evening  gown  and  jacket,  fall/winter  1998-99 

Jacket:  gray  wool /rayon  blend  pinstriped  compound  weave;  gown:  pink  silk  twill 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

Any  other  designer  might  show  an  evening  gown  with  a  tuxedo  or  a 

smoking  jacket,  repudiating  gender  proscriptions  but  still  conforming  to 

rules  of  formality.  Armani,  however,  goes  further.  Pairing  this  minimalist 

evening  gown  with  a  spare,  but  traditionally  styled  suit  jacket,  he  plays  not 

only  with  the  idea  of  gender  transposition,  but  with  the  inversion  of 

conventions  of  daywear  and  eveningwear. 

44 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1991-92 

Jacket:  black  silk/rayon  blend  velvet;  pants  with  attached  scarf:  black  silk  chiffon 

pave-embroidered  with  sequins,  seed  beads,  and  faceted  stones;  cummerbund: 

black  silk  satin 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

Among  the  most  explicit  semaphors  of  Establishment  male  attire,  club- 

and  school-tie  stripes  have  come  to  be  associated  with  white  button-down 

shirts,  blue  blazers,  and  chinos:  the  informal  attire  of  preppie  and  post- 

preppie  alike.  Here,  Armani  takes  these  vivid  stripings  and  renders  them 

in  pave  beading  for  an  evening  ensemble.  With  characteristic  aplomb. 

he  merges  this  albeit  glamorized  signal  of  informality  with  more  traditional 

elements  of  formalwear— the  tuxedo  jacket  and  cummerbund. 

45 

Woman's  evening  suit,  fall/winter  1991-92 

Brown  silk  chiffon  pave-embroidered  in  a  herringbone  pattern  with  seed  beads. 

bugle  beads,  and  sequins 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Daisy  Fellowes  is  credited  with  inventing  during  the  1930s  the  sequined 

evening  jacket  cut  like  a  man's  tuxedo,  and  for  being  the  first  to  wear 

a  wool  dress  as  evening  apparel.  Similar  "epater  la  bourgeoisie"  notions 

recur  in  Armani's  work.  Here,  the  hearty  herringbone  pattern  associated 

with  men's  suiting  is  rendered  in  seed  and  bugle  beads  and  sequins. 

Arranged  in  alternating,  angled  rows,  they  capture  light  from  a  number  of 

directions,  resulting  in  an  especially  animated  shimmer. 

46 

Woman's  evening  ensemble,  fall/winter  1985-86 

Jacket:  black  silk/rayon  blend  velvet  with  jet  bead  openwork;  skirt:  black  and 

white  plaid-printed  silk  damask  with  clear  sequins;  shawl:  off-white  cashmere  knit 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Incorporating  surprising  elements  of  daywear  and  more  conventional 

eveningwear  components,  this  sportswear-styled  evening  ensemble  is 


quintessential^  Armani.  The  black  velvet  jacket  with  jet-beaded  cuffs 
and  plunging  neckline  conforms  to  expectations  of  evening  glamour,  but 
the  beret  and  wool  shawl  mute  its  drama.  The  ankle-length  skirt  also 
embodies  the  contradictions  that  Armani  prizes:  sedately  pleated  and 
with  a  glen-plaid  pattern,  it  is  formalized  by  a  uniform  application  of 
transparent  sequins. 

47 

Woman's  evening  gown,  fall/winter  1986-87 

Gown:  black  silk/rayon  blend  velvet;  collar  and  tie:  white  silk  plain  weave  and 

black  silk  satin 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

In  his  fall/winter  1986-87  collection,  Armani  accessorized  a  number 

of  his  day  ensembles  with  a  decorative  neckpiece  in  the  form  of  a  man's 

shirt  collar,  which  he  placed  under  suits  worn  with  supple  silk  blouses  or 

without  a  blouse  altogether  as  a  talismanic  vestige  of  male  professional 

dress.  Paradoxically,  the  collars  emphasized  the  very  femininity  of  these 

suits,  which  had  otherwise  completely  usurped  all  aspects  of  the 

menswear  paradigm.  For  evening,  this  sign  of  the  appropriation  of  male 

power  took  the  form  of  a  collar  and  four-in-hand  tie,  as  it  has  in  this  gown. 

Interestingly,  despite  this  whimsical  reference  to  gender  parity — 

a  contemporary  issue — the  long  velvet  evening  gown  with  its  trim, 

shirtwaist  details  recalls  nothing  so  much  as  the  elegance  of  the  1930s 

and  the  lithe,  slim-hipped  dresses  designed  by  Mambocher  for  the 

Duchess  of  Windsor. 

48 

Woman's  evening  ensemble,  fall/winter  1992-93 

Bustier:  off-white  silk  satin  with  black  rayon  velvet  "bow  tie"  trim, 

skirt:  off-white  silk  satin 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  crisp  linearity  of  a  man's  tuxedo  shirt,  with  its  textured  pique  bib  front. 

is  conveyed  here  in  the  stiffened  ribbed  silk  of  a  ball  gown.  But  the  rigid 

constraints  of  the  conventional  tuxedo  are  otherwise  inverted:  the  undone 

black  tie  is  actually  trompe  I'oeil,  functioning  as  a  halter  that  secures  the 

unboned  bodice,  even  when  it  is  unbuttoned  for  less  discreet  exposure. 

49 

Woman's  evening  gown,  fall/winter  1992-93 

Black  triacetate /rayon  blend  crepe  with  white  silk  satin  and  faceted  jet 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

The  columnar  form  of  this  gown  and  the  cut-away  curve  of  its  hem 

suggest  a  tuxedo  sleeve  detached  from  its  jacket.  The  bodice,  a 

Brobdingnagian  French  cuff  barely  secured  with  jet  cuff  links,  completes 

the  illusion.  But  the  joke  may  equally  be  about  sleevelessness:  tiny  black 

gloves  are  furnished  with  small  white  gauntlets  that  seem  to  complete 

sleeves  that  are  not  there. 

50 

Woman's  evening  gown,  fall/winter  1992-93 

Black  rayon  crepe  with  black  silk  satin  trim 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

Of  all  the  tuxedo  gowns  that  have  resulted  from  Armani's  extensive 

exploration  of  the  form,  this  minimalist  example  introduces  the  sparest 

signifiers  of  the  genre.  The  tuxedo's  lapels,  waistcoat,  cummerbund, 

and  trouser  side  stripes— which  by  convention  are  in  silk  satin  or  gros  grain 

to  contrast  against  the  black  wool  of  the  suit-are  evoked  by  the  gown's 

juxtaposition  of  matte  and  shine.  As  in  the  gown  that  takes  the  sleeve 

as  its  starting  point,  here  the  tuxedo  pant  leg  is  an  opportunity 

for  surreal  play. 


332 


51 

Woman's  halter-top  evening  gown,  fall/winter  1997-98 
Black  silk/rayon  blend  velvet  and  black  nylon/elastomer  blend  organza  with 
mini  sequins,  seed  beads,  and  bugle  beads 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

This  halter  dress  is  an  expansion  on  the  theme  of  the  tuxedoes  black  tie 
undone  seen  in  the  fall/winter  1992-93  evening  ensemble  (cat.  no.  48) 
in  wh.ch  a  trompe  I'oeil  tie  serves  as  a  means  of  support  for  the  bod.ce. 
Here  the  tie  is  expanded  to  ascot  size  and  wraps  around  the  bust.  What 
was  a  small  decorative  device  with  d.sguised  functions  in  the  earlier  piece 
has  evolved  into  a  form  that  is  less  directly  referential  (the  ascot  is  not 
a  traditional  even.ngwear  form)  and  more  responsive  to  the  structure  of 
apparel.  The  overt  allusion  to  the  tuxedo  has  been  subsumed  to  a  more 
obliquely  witty  expression. 

52 

Man's  tuxedo,  spring/summer  2000 
Black  wool/silk  blend  crepe 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Like  a  military  uniform,  the  tuxedo  is  a  garment  whose  power  resides  in 
its  conformity  to  the  rules.  Armani's  achievement  with  regard  to  this  iconic 
garment  has  been  to  improve  it  in  the  most  subtle  but  fundamental  ways. 
As  with  his  suits  and  jackets,  he  has  imbued  it  with  sexiness  by  removing 
any  quality  of  stiffness  or  constraint.  By  constructing  it  for  comfort,  and 
by  selecting  textiles  that  are  of  a  weight  that  d.scloses  more  of  the  body 
beneath.  Armani  has  appeared  to  follow  all  the  rules  while  surrept.tiously 
changing  the  game. 

53 

Woman's  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1998-99 
Heather  gray  wool/nylon/elastomer  blend  knit 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

By  taking  the  visual  qualities  of  gray  flannel  and  transposing  them  to 
a  sheer  stretch  fabric.  Armani  upends  our  expectations.  In  its  incarnation 
as  the  1950s  businessman's  suit  fabric,  gray  flannel  was  endowed  with 
a  certain  symbolism,  both  positive  and  pejorative.  But  here  Armani 
introduces  a  new  sensuality  that  subverts  the  cloth's  associations  of 
conformity,  propriety,  and  functionality  without  sacrificing  other  allusive 
aspects  of  the  textile,  such  as  warmth,  comfort,  and  security. 

54 

Woman's  overshirt  and  pants,  spring/summer  1994 
Eggshell  silk  novelty  weave 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Here.  Armani  has  combined  components  separated  by  geography, 
culture,  and  time  to  create  a  convincing,  though  mythic,  regional  style. 
The  voluminous  collarless  shirt  worn  as  a  tunic  is  typical  of  the  clothing 
of  Punjabi  men.  and  the  wrapping  construction  of  the  pants  alludes 
to  the  diaper-like  dhoti  of  the  region.  More  Central  Asian  than  Indian, 
however,  is  the  vestlike  effect  over  the  shirt.  Furthermore  the  shirt's  bib 
front  suggests  the  form  of  the  nineteenth-century  European  collar-band 
dress  shirt. 

55 

Woman's  shirt  and  skirt,  spring/summer  1994 

Shirt:  light  brown  silk/rayon  blend  novelty  weave;  skirt:  light  brown  rayon  twill 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

This  open-weave  shirt  and  wide,  ballooning  skirt  have  the  airy 

^substantiality  of  clothing  designed  for  the  heat.  Easily  animated  by 

movement  and  the  breeze,  their  aerated  gauze  catches  every  gust. 

just  as  its  transparency  captures  the  eye.  The  horizontally  seamed 


construction  of  the  skirt  creates  the  barrel-shaped  silhouette  of 
harem  pants. 

56 

Woman's  evening  pantsuit.  spring/summer  1994 
Off-white  silk  satin-striped  novelty  weave  with  bugle  beads 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

In  his  novel  The  Sheltering  Sky  (1949).  Paul  Bowles  distinguishes 
the  tourist  from  the  traveler:  tourists  have  only  a  short  time  for  their 
visits,  whereas  travelers,  characterized  by  leisurely  and  open-ended 
peregrinations,  have  neither  calendar  nor  itinerary  to  address.  In  reality. 
Armani's  excursions  abroad  are  of  a  touristic  duration,  but  his  imagination 
settles  and  persists  in  certain  places  for  years  and  his  intuitive  grasp 
of  the  telling  form  comes  from  the  cultural  assimilation  of  the  traveler. 
This  Tunisian  striped  evening  pajama  is  an  example  of  his  evocation  of  the 
dress  of  a  region  through  the  citing  of  local  dress  traditions  as  they  might 
be  translated  by  someone  who  lives  in  but  is  not  of  a  place. 

57 

Woman's  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95 
Black  and  gray  "Fortuny' '-printed  silk  chiffon 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

A  richly  historical  layering  of  references  is  applied  to  this  pants  ensemble 
in  silk  chiffon.  The  custom  of  men  on  the  Indian  subcontinent  to  wear 
a  full  tunic  shirt  over  narrow  pants  of  the  same  fabric  has  inspired  Armani 
to  a  number  of  interpretations,  though  the  precise  region  and  time  period 
of  their  origins  are  never  directly  identifiable.  Rather,  the  elements  are 
sifted  and  recombined  in  the  designer's  memory  to  form  an  improbable, 
but  undeniably  romantic,  expression.  Here.  Armani  takes  a  print  pattern 
from  aesthete  and  designer  Mariano  Fortuny.  who  himself  had  adopted 
it  from  Islamic  sources. 

58 

Man's  sports  jacket  ensemble,  spring/summer  1991 
Jacket:  beige  linen  novelty  twill:  pants:  beige  linen  plain  weave 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Armani's  references  are  rarely  literal  or  unabridged,  but  are 
communicated  obliquely— in  this  instance  through  a  sand-  and  dust- 
colored  palette  and  a  graduated  range  of  textured  linens.  He  has  used 
the  word  scavo  (excavation)  to  describe  such  summer  ensembles,  and 
though  the  outfit  evokes  the  image  of  an  archeologist  on  a  desert  dig. 
any  historicism  is  only  a  convincing  projection.  Without  the  subliminal 
narrative  cues  that  emerge  out  of  the  designer's  coordination  of  the 
parts,  each  element  of  the  ensemble  is  indisputably  of  our  time. 

59 

Man's  suit,  spring/summer  1990 
Beige  linen  plain  weave 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

In  the  1910s  and  1920s,  summer  resort  wear  for  men  included  suits 
stripped  of  much  of  the  linings  and  paddings  of  the  period's  city  attire 
to  create  a  lighter,  cooler  garment,  and  yet  the  tailors  and  their  clients 
of  the  period  were  unwilling  to  negotiate  certain  aesthetic  qualities  of  the 
suit  even  for  comfort.  They  replicated  the  crisp  contours  of  professional 
dress  with  textiles  of  a  stiff-fibered  and.  sometimes,  heavy  weave. 
Armani  has  proposed  that  the  very  style  of  the  suit  should  be  relaxed 
along  with  the  excision  of  its  interior  stiffenings.  The  jacket  of  this  suit, 
therefore,  has  a  crumpled  nonchalance,  and  the  pants  are  worn 
uncreased.  like  pajama  bottoms. 


60 

Woman's  jacket  and  pants,  spring/summer  1993 

jacket:  off-white  silk  damask;  overskirt:  beige  silk  organza;  pants:  yellow  silk/linen 

blend  plain  weave 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

This  pantsuit  for  women  is  imbued  with  a  poetic  exoticism  by  the  addition 

of  a  short  overskirt,  which  synthesizes  imagery  from  at  least  two  regions, 

Central  and  Southeast  Asia.  Worn  under  a  jacket  and  over  narrow  pants, 

the  skirt  has  the  immediate  effect  of  the  long,  tunic-length  shirttails 

of  men  in  Pakistan  and  other  northern  parts  of  the  Indian  subcontinent. 

This  juxtaposition  of  jacket  and  skirt  can  also  be  seen  as  a  reference 

to  the  Indonesian  practice  of  pairing  a  Western-style  tailored  jacket  with 

a  native  sarong. 

61 

Woman's  jacket  and  sarong  pants,  spring/summer  1994 

Jacket:  tan  rayon/acetate  blend  herringbone;  bodysuit:  gray  silk  knit; 

pants:  gray  rayon/polyester  blend  knit 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

This  collarless  jacket  retains  vestiges  of  a  collar  piece  and  lapels  in  the 

double-curved  undulation  of  its  neckline,  the  sharply  contoured  edges  of 

which  contrast  with  the  soft  drape  of  the  wrap-effect  pants.  Reminiscent 

of  a  sarong  or  a  dhoti— both  spiralmg  forms  that  anchor  to  the  body  with 

firm  knots— the  pants  introduce  an  undeniable  sensuality  to  the  cool 

propriety  of  the  neatly  fitted  jacket. 

62 

Woman's  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95 

Overshirt  and  pants:  light  gray  silk  crepe;  bodysuit:  gray  wool/cotton  blend  knit 

mesh;  shawl:  light  gray  rayon/angora/mohair/nylon  blend  chenille  pile  on  gray  nylon 

knit  mesh 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Although  cut  and  draped  in  a  seemingly  loose  and  uncontrolled  flare, 

the  jacket  of  this  ensemble  has  been  carefully  fitted  at  the  shoulders. 

It  is  typical  of  Armani  not  to  showcase  his  technique,  and  here  his 

mastery  has  been  hidden  under  a  luxurious  chenille  mesh  shawl.  A  view 

of  the  perfectly  tailored  shoulder  from  which  this  ostensibly  unconstructed 

garment  is  suspended  is  less  important  to  the  designer  than  the 

sophisticated  assembling  of  tonally  related  textiles. 

63 

Woman's  jacket  and  dress,  spring/summer  1994 

Jacket:  taupe  linen  gauze;  dress:  beige  rayon/nylon  blend  knit 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  dense  layering  of  thin  fabrics  as  insulation  against  the  desert  sun 

inspired  Armani  to  create  this  ensemble,  which  consists  of  parts  that 

assemble  and  disassemble  according  to  the  caprice  of  the  wearer,  the 

climate,  or  perhaps  the  cultural  codes  of  different  environments  such  as 

the  mosque  or  the  street.  Armani  adds  a  ruffle  to  a  regional  apparel 

tradition  notably  absent  of  such  forms,  in  the  semicircular  pattern  pieces 

In  graduated  layers  that  create  the  cascade  front  of  the  jacket. 

64 

Woman's  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1994-95 

Jacket:  light  gray  alpaca  twill;  bodysuit  (not  visible  in  photograph):  gray-green 

wool/cotton  blend  knit;  pants:  gray  wool/rayon  blend  knit 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Regional  garments  are  often  shaped  to  maximize  the  efficient  use 

of  textiles,  resulting,  commonly,  in  rectilinear  pattern  pieces.  The  loose. 

untailored  fit  of  this  jacket  suggests  this  practice,  but  in  fact  its 

semicircular  shape  necessitates  a  dramatic  contouring  accomplished 


by  the  assembling  of  a  surprising  number  of  pattern  pieces.  Its  edges 
are  finished  using  a  conventionally  industrial  technique,  which  precludes 
the  unraveling  of  the  loose  alpaca  cloth  while  giving  the  effect  of  a 
simple  double-stitched  border. 

65 

Woman's  evening  gown,  fall /winter  1994-95 

Brown  wool/angora/viscose/nylon  blend  chenille  pile  on  brown  nylon  knit  mesh 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

This  dress  of  acetic  simplicity  recalls  both  the  silhouette  of  a  dervish 

and  Claire  McCardell's  "monastic"  dress  of  the  late  1930s.  It  is  rendered 

in  a  textile  that  appears  to  be  a  crocheted  chenille,  but  is  actually  an 

unusual  voided  mesh  with  chenille  pile.  Because  the  textile  is  made  with 

a  flesh-toned  ground,  the  effect  is  of  an  open-worked  and  elastic  crochet 

or  wool  lace.  Here.  Armani's  allusions  to  other  cultures  are  subtle, 

residing  in  the  rolled  "harem"  hem  of  the  dress,  a  blanketlike  shawl. 

and  a  bold  amber  bead  necklace. 

66 

Woman's  floor-length  dress,  fall/winter  1994-95 
Taupe  rayon/mohau /nylon/wool  blend  knit 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Armani's  references  to  other  cultures  are  often  clearest  in  the  context 
of  a  runway  show  or  advertising  campaign,  where  a  compilation  of  visual 
imagery  begins  to  constitute  a  sense  of  place  or  time.  Without  this 
context,  the  references  are  more  elusive;  this  dress,  for  example, 
accompanied  by  a  diagonally  worn  shoulder  bag,  points  broadly  to  the 
Islamic  world.  Its  high  neckline,  long  sleeves,  and  floor-length  skirt  evoke 
simultaneously  the  modesty  of  the  chador  and  the  protective  coverage 
of  the  djellabah.  The  allusion  might  equally  be  to  the  long  cotton  gowns 
worn  with  vests  by  men  in  Palestine. 

67 

Woman's  evening  vest  and  pants,  spring/summer  1994 

Vest:  off-white  silk  and  metallic  gold  thread  plain  weave  with  faux  pearls. 

rhinestones.  sequins,  and  seed  beads;  shirt:  white  silk  organza  with  sequins 

secured  with  seed  beads;  pants:  off-white  silk  organza  with  off-white  linen 

plain  weave  applique 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

Vests  worn  over  untucked  shirts  are  a  common  form  of  everyday  attire 

for  men  across  a  varied  cultural  and  geographic  terrain,  from  the  Near 

East  to  Central  Asia.  But  In  Arman.'s  reinvention  of  the  form  as  woman's 

eveningwear,  the  evocation  is  of  a  world  more  physically  circumscribed- 

that  of  the  seraglio,  a  place  of  sybaritic  indulgence  in  the  Western 

imagination.  Armani  coopts  Islamic  forms  of  dress  in  the  manner  of  the 

early  suffragettes  and  feminists,  as  appropriate  expressions  of 

independence  and  equality. 

68  and  69 

Woman's  evening  dress,  spring/summer  1995 

Dress-  metallic  gold  silk  organza  with  sequins,  cupped  sequins,  micro  seed  beads. 

and  seed  beads;  shorts  (not  visible  in  photograph,:  off-wh,te  foliate-printed  silk 

charmeuse 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Woman's  evening  dress,  spring/summer  1995 

Dress:  metallic  gold  silk  organza  with  micro  seed  beads,  bugle  beads. 

sequms.  and  seed  beads;  shorts  (not  visible  in  photograph):  off-white  silk 

foliate-printed  charmeuse 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan  olirY,hPr 

The  caftan  appears  from  Northern  Africa  to  the  Ivory  Coast  with  a  number 


333 


of  local  variations.  While  most  are  characterized  by  narrow  passementer.e 
or  metallic  embroidered  bands  edging  the  neckline  slit,  all  are  modestly 
floor-length.  In  this  interpretation,  Armani  not  only  crops  the  robe  to  m.d- 
th.gh  he  beads  the  whole  of  the  garment  and  substitutes  the  neckline 
embroidery  with  an  expanded  field  of  floral  beading  across  the  chest. 
Decontextual.zing  and  dramatically  reconfiguring  his  precedents,  Armani 
deliberately  deprives  them  of  their  original  meanings  and  requirements, 
investing  them  with  the  desires  and  fantasies  of  his  own  world. 

70 

Woman's  evening  vest,  overskirt,  and  pants,  spring/summer  1993 

Vest:  beige  cotton/nylon  blend  lace  and  beige  silk  gauze  with  mini  sequins 

and  faceted  stones;  overskirt:  off-white  cotton/nylon  blend  lace:  pants:  taupe 

silk  organza 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

The  persistence  and  stylistic  consistency  of  regional  forms  underscores 

the  radical  manipulations  of  Armani's  interpretations.  The  bib-fronted 

robe  worn  by  a  peasant  woman  in  William  Holman  Hunt's  The  Afterglow 

in  Egypt  (1860-63).  for  example,  is  not  dissimilar  to  embroidered  dresses 

still  made  in  the  Near  and  Middle  East  and  available  in  shops  from 

London's  Camden  Passage  to  New  York's  East  Village.  Armani's 

amalgamation  of  materials  in  this  evening  ensemble-including  lace, 

beige  silk  gauze,  and  frosted  stones  and  sequins-alone  describes  the 

magnitude  of  his  imaginary  departure. 

71 

Woman's  evening  tunic  coat  and  pants,  fall/winter  1990-91 

Coat:  iridescent  metallic  gold  silk  taffeta  with  rhmestones  and  metallic 

gold  thread  embroidery:  pants:  gold  silk  satin 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

According  to  the  designer,  this  evening  coat  was  inspired  by  India.  His 

attribution  is  not  unreasonable,  but  in  seeking  out  specific  sources  it 

becomes  clear  that  Armani's  references  are  not  to  deta.ls  or  specific 

precedents,  but  to  a  broader  sensibility.  The  beaded  lace  pattern  that 

edges  the  coat  suggests,  faintly,  the  swirling  effect  of  paisley.  The 

asymmetrical,  triangulated  neckline  border  might  be  derived  from  a 

Mughal  jama,  but  its  continuation  into  a  cutaway  skirt  and  the  garment's 

lithe,  body-conscious  silhouette  deviates  from  the  Indian  model.  Further, 

the  ensemble  is  accessorized  by  a  topi,  a  cylindrical  cap  worn  in  Nepal, 

although  similar  shapes  can  also  be  found  in  Afghanistan. 

72 

Woman's  evening  pants  ensemble,  spring/summer  1990 
Top:  black  nylon  knit  mesh  with  seed  and  bugle  beads:  pants:  turquoise,  white, 
and  amber  cloud-printed  silk/rayon  blend  plain  weave  with  black  silk/nylon  blend 
tulle  overlay 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

As  with  many  of  Armani's  ethnic  designs,  this  ensemble  is  a  simulacra, 
a  convincing  copy  of  an  original  that  never  existed.  It  melds  a  number 
of  cultural  sources.  In  the  top,  gold  bugle  beads  delineate  a  trompe  I'oeil 
vest  with  matching  cuffs,  which  is  paired  with  narrow.  Chinese  cloud- 
patterned  pants  covered  by  a  draped  overlay.  In  Armani's  hands  the  pants 
are  transformed  into  a  credible  visual  facsimile  of  a  dhoti. 

73 

Woman's  evening  dress  and  pants,  fall/winter  1994-95 

Dress:  light  gray  printed  silk/rayon  blend  tulle  with  silk  embroidery  and  rhinestones: 

pants:  light  gray  silk/rayon  blend  knit  mesh  with  bugle  beads  and  cupped  sequins 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

Armani  plays  with  body  disclosure  in  this  layered  evening  ensemble. 

A  plastron  of  dense  embroidery  covers  the  front  of  the  lightly  patterned 


dress.  Fitted  pants  in  a  pattern  related  to  that  of  the  dress  intensify  the 
ensemble's  richness  through  layering  and  the  compression  of  patterning 
in  the  folds  of  the  overskirt.  As  in  other  of  his  designs.  Armani  uses  a 
single  sheer  textile  in  different  configurations  to  accrue  an  intensified 
effect  of  richness. 

74  and  75 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  skirt,  spring/summer  1995 

Jacket:  beige  silk  organza  pave-embroidered  in  an  oriental-carpet  pattern  with 

floral  cupped  sequins  and  seed  beads;  skirt:  beige  silk  organza 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  divided  skirt,  spring/summer  1995 

Jacket:  beige  silk  organza  pave-embroidered  in  an  oriental-carpet  pattern  with 

floral  cupped  sequins  and  seed  beads;  skirt:  beige  silk  organza 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

In  these  evening  ensembles.  Armani  interprets  oriental-carpet  patterns 

in  densely  beaded  embroidery.  The  small,  tight  jackets  vaguely  suggest 

the  snug  bodices  of  the  elaborately  embroidered  formal  coats  for  women 

found  in  Iran.  But  in  this  instance,  unusual  for  the  designer,  the 

inspiration  appears  to  be  restricted  primarily  to  a  simple  and  direct 

interpretation  of  a  surface  pattern  rather  than  a  reformulation  of  a 

structural  component  derived  from  an  exotic  item  of  dress. 

76 

Woman's  evening  'polonaise"  ensemble,  spring/summer  1988 

Jacket:  multicolor  floral-printed  silk  georgette  pave-embroidered  with  clear 

sequins,  and  silk  braid;  skirt:  multicolor  silk/polyester  blend  plaid  chine  taffeta 

overskirt  with  pale  green  and  peach  floral-printed  silk  organza  and  peach  silk 

chiffon  underskirts 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

Among  Armani's  more  complex  conflations  of  culture  and  time  is  this 

evening  ensemble,  which  blends  the  silhouette  of  an  eighteenth-century 

robe  a  la  polonaise  with  imagery  of  the  Near  East.  With  a  mille-fleurs 

pattern  similar  to  Persian  illuminations  and  Zouave-like  braid  closures, 

the  sequined  jacket  suggests  a  nineteenth-century  Turkish  genealogy. 

In  broad  strokes  the  ensemble  resembles  one  place  and  time,  and  in 

finer  details  another. 

77 

Woman's  evening  vest,  overskirt.  and  pants,  spring/summer  1994 
Vest:  gold  silk  organza  with  seed  beads  and  sequins;  bandeau:  gray,  beige,  and 
white  printed  silk  organza;  overskirt:  gray,  beige,  and  white  printed  silk  chiffon; 
pants:  green  silk  organza 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Two  clues  unravel  the  tangled  lineage  of  this  ensemble:  the  ch.no.ser.e 
pattern  of  the  silk  chiffon  and  the  apronlike  construction  of  the  overskirt. 
As  with  any  mystery,  there  are  red  herrings— Armani  complicates  the 
costume  historian's  search  by  adding  a  sequined  vest,  structured 
bandeau,  and  dhoti-styled  pants.  Furthermore,  the  more  easily  discernable 
references  are  not  left  untouched:  the  floral  pattern  of  the  fabric  is  more 
Eurasian  than  Chinese,  even  twentieth-century  Chinese,  and  the  hundred- 
knife  pleated  folds  of  the  paired  panels  of  the  Manchu  apron  skirt  have 
been  suggested  here  by  soft  gathers. 

78 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  pants,  spring/summer  1994 

Jacket:  gray,  beige,  and  white  printed  silk  chiffon  with  seed  beads  and  sequins; 

pants:  gray,  beige,  and  white  printed  silk  chiffon 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Beginning  in  the  late  nineteenth  century,  Chinese  clothing  was,  like  som 


forms  of  Turkish  dress,  adopted  with  little  modification  in  the  West  as 
negligee  and  at-home  wear.  However,  the  trend  for  Chinese  silk  pajama 
lounging  sets— which  were  especially  in  vogue  during  the  period  between 
the  two  world  wars-was  of  a  mixed  parentage.  The  pajama  was  a  form 
with  its  roots  in  India,  and  more  distantly  in  Persia,  rather  than  in  China. 
With  this  ensemble,  then.  Armani  begins  with  a  precedent  of  combined 
cultural  heritage,  but  in  his  disposition  of  elements  he  asserts  its  Chinese 
lineage:  a  rondel  appears  where  an  embroidered  ranking  badge  would  be. 
and  band  borders  along  the  sides  and  hem  of  the  legs  are  placed 
precisely  where  they  would  fall  on  a  shuangqun  or  "paired  apron"  skirt. 

79 

Woman's  evening  pantsuit.  fall/winter  1990-91 

Copper  silk  knit  pave-embroidered  with  micro  seed  beads  and  sequins 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

in  this  pantsuit.  seed  beads  and  sequins  are  aligned  in  a  vertical  fish- 

scale  embroidery,  deviating  only  at  the  center-front  hem  of  the  jacket  to 

form  opposing  rondels.  By  changing  the  grain  of  the  beading,  the  rondels 

expand  its  range  of  light-catching  effects.  With  these  combl.ke  l.nes  and 

sp.ral.ng  rondels,  the  pantsuit  represents  the  designer's  interest  in 

Shang  dynasty  metalwork. 

80 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1995-96 

jacket  gold  silk  charmeuse  pave-embroidered  with  seed  beads  and  cupped 

sequins;  vest:  gold  bugle  bead  openwork;  pants:  gold  silk/ polyester  blend  satin 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Precedents  for  the  scrolling  floral  pattern  of  the  extraordinarily  comp lex 

beaded  embroidery  on  this  evening  jacket  can  be  seen  in  Chinese  black- 

ndwh,"eserve-glaze  porcelains.  However.  Arman,  has  muted  the  strong 
graphic  effect  of  these  porcelains  by  rendenng  a  textural  rather  than 

nal  deflation  of  forms.  The  bugle-bead  vest  is  constructed  hke  an     nt 
Chinese  undershirts,  which  were  a  mesh  of  tiny  bamboo  segments  joined 
Te  fretwork  intended  to  protect  the  wearer's  silk  robes  from  he 

body,  in  Armani's  version,  this  mundane  undergarment  Is  transfigured 

into  elegant  body  jewelry. 

81 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1990-91 

jacket  brown  silk/rayon  blend  velvet,  floral-embroidered  with  French  knots. 

^liZld  co,  sequins,  and  seed  beads,  and  black  silk  tulle  overlay;  pants: 

brown  silk/rayon  blend  velvet 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  success  of  Armani's  aes.mllet.on  of  the  traditional  *eoe  of   mer 

cultures  is  in  his  retenbon  of  the  allusive  power  of  the  form while 

transforms  them  to  conform  to  h,s  ^^^J^^^ 

and  modernity,  m  this  evening  jacket,  the  bating  p,ntuc  s  that  sb 

,be  neckhne  and  shoulders  are  a  structural  a^''cf  °    °' *XaLd- 

segments  that  comprise  a  Manchu  cloud  collar.  The elaborat      oral 

spng  pattern  originates  In  Kousu  tapestry  weaves  and  s,lk-thread 

embroideries. 


82 

Woman 's  evening  gown,  fall/winter  1995-96 

Multicolor  chinoisene-pnnted  silk  satin  with  seed  beads,  bugle  beads. 

and  micro  sequins 

G/orgro  Armani  Archives.  Milan  changes  in  China's 

in  Bernardo  Bertolucc's  The  Last  Emperor  (1987)  change s 
cultural  and  political  Cmate  are  rnan.festednnos  clearlyjn  the  cos 
when  Manchu  robes  are  exchanged  for  tenn.s  whites^  The  rea I  * 
and  political  transformation  is.  of  course,  more  complex,  and  those 


accompanying  ambiguities  of  intercultural  accommodation  were  as 
manifested  in  Chinese  fashion  as  they  were  in  music  and  the  visual  arts. 
The  floral  design  of  this  evening  gown  suggests  a  Westernized  Chinese 
pattern,  alluding  to  the  assimilation  of  Western  aesthetic  conventions 
by  traditional  Chinese  painting.  To  this.  Armani  adds  a  rainbow  border, 
a  characteristic  feature  of  Chinese  court  dress;  however,  he  has  inverted 
his  forms,  placing  what  would  be  the  hem  of  a  venerable  court  robe 
across  the  bodice  of  the  strapless  evening  gown.  Like  the  chiffon  velvet 
cheongsams  of  the  1930s.  Armani's  gown  expresses  the  merging  of 
Eastern  and  Western  aesthetics. 

83 

Woman's  evening  dress  with  overshirt.  spring/summer  1998 
Overshirt:  off-white  silk  organza;  dress:  gray  and  taupe  silk  chiffon,  embroidered 
,n  a  dragonfly  pattern  with  metallic  silver  coil,  rhmestones.  and  bugle  beads 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  poetic  evocation  of  ephemerality,  the  fragile  and  transient  nature  of 
life  is  prized  by  the  Japanese.  A  fascination  with  the  natural  world  and 
its  beauty  is  paired  with  a  recognition  of  its  temporality.  Dragonfl.es.  for 
example  with  their  darting  insubstantial.ty,  frequently  appear  on  screens 
and  pottery.  Armani  intuits  this  Japanese  sensibility  in  this  translucent 
evening  dress,  in  which  a  swarm  of  beaded  dragonfl.es,  clearly  visible 
near  the  neckline,  disappear  as  faint  and  elusive  flickers 
at  the  shadowed  hem. 

84 

Woman's  evening  ensemble  with  wrap  skirt,  spring/summer  1998 

Top-  off-white  silk  chiffon  pavtembroidered  with  sequins,  and  taupe  silk  chiffon 

overlay;  skirt:  beige  and  green  printed  silk  plain  weave  with  sequins,  seed  beads. 

and  bugle  beads 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

A  motif  of  pines  and  abstracted  clumps  of  grass  decorates  the  wrap 

sk,rt  in  this  ensemble.  The  print  Is  similar  to  those  commonly  found  on 

panese  kimonos,  where  they  are  sometimes  delineated  and  augmented 
by  couched  gold  threads  and  silk  floss,  but  here  Arman,  articulates  the 
p nnted  pattern  with  a  more  assertive  overlay  of  seed  and  bugle  beads 
interspersed  with  sequms.  Unlike  a  kimono,  which  suppresses  the  bust 

he  waist  to  achieve  a  narrow,  columnar  Silhouette.  M ;  evening 
ensemble  conforms  to  the  body.  In  fact,  the  tank-style  top  exaggerates 
"he  body's  shape  with  its  metallic,  light-contouring  surface  of  sequms 
Whereas  a  k.mono  is  overlaid  by  an  obi.  Arman,  presents  h,s  ensemble 
Tc!  ched.  but  the  eye  Is  nonetheless  engaged  by  the  midr,  f  s,nc    the 
S  chiffon  overlay  and  the  waist  of  the  skir,  do  not  meet,  creating 
a  fissured  view  of  the  top's  mercurial  sequined  surface. 


335 


85 

— rsrrss  see*-  - — 
s-srissssssss:;— .— 


86 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1990-91 
Dark  blue  silk  satin  with  royal  blue  silk  satin  trapunto 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

A  decade  after  h.s  f.rst  Japanese  collection  in  1980-81.  Arman. 
cont.nued  to  exper.ment  with  shapes  and  techniques  he  had  mtroduced 
at  that  time.  By  the  1990s,  however,  another  conceptual  strand 
.ntersected  w.th  the  designer's  application  of  the  rect.linear  pattern 
p.eces  of  Japanese  dress,  when  the  Russ.an  Constructive'  planar  fields 
of  rectangles  and  arcs  asserted  themselves  as  color  blocks  and 
semicircular  pattern  p.eces.  These  designs  are  a  180-degree  departure 
from  the  supple,  body-disclosing  fit  associated  with  the  designer, 
but  in  their  exploration  of  reductive  shaping  and  luxurious,  minimally 
ornamented  materials,  they  are  typical  of  Armani. 

87 

Woman's  jacket  and  culottes,  fall/winter  1980-81 

Jacket:  light  brown,  black,  and  white  wool  checked  novelty  weave; 

culottes:  charcoal  gray  and  gray-green  printed  wool  plain  weave 

The  Museum  at  the  Fashion  Institute  of  Technology.  New  York. 

Gift  of  Mrs.  James  Levy 

in  a  collection  inspired  by  Akira  Kurosawa's  Kagemusha  (1980).  a  movie 

set  in  feudal  Japan.  Arman.  focuses  as  much  on  the  rustic  costumes  of 

the  peasants  as  on  the  regalia  of  the  Shogun  and  h.s  samura..  The  result 

is  daywear  that  combines  elements  of  h.storical  Japanese  dress  with 

an  uncomprom.sed  contemporary  Milanese  sportswear  sensibility.  In  this 

example,  the  application  of  the  banded  kimono  collar  to  an  impeccably 

tailored  jacket  contributes  a  str.pped-down  modernity  as  well  as  an 

ethnographic  reference. 

88 

Woman's  evening  shirt  and  floor-length  skirt,  spring/summer  1997 

Shirt:  white  silk  chiffon  with  metallic  gold  coil,  seed  beads,  and  rhmestones: 

skirt:  white  silk  tulle  with  metallic  gold  coil,  seed  beads,  and  rhmestones 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

The  Javanese  practice  of  wearing  a  tightly  fitted  shirt  or  jacket  over  a 

long  sarong  is  interpreted  here  by  Arman.  as  evenmgwear.  Made  of  heavily 

beaded  white  silk  chiffon,  the  shirt  suggests  transparency,  but  in  fact  is 

of  a  density  that  is  more  modest  than  nude.  The  sexiness  of  the  piece. 

which  has  been  shrunk  to  reveal  sternum  and  midriff,  ultimately  resides 

in  its  bursting-at-the-seams  fit. 

89 

Woman's  evening  shirt  and  pants,  fall/winter  1997-98 

Shirt:  black  polyester  tulle  with  bugle  beads,  rhmestones.  cupped  sequins,  seed 
beads,  pearls,  and  metallic  silver  thread  embroidery:  pants:  black  silk  chiffon  and 
black  silk  tulle  with  seed  beads,  cupped  sequins,  bugle  beads,  rhmestones.  silk 
cordonnet  couching,  and  metallic  silver  thread  embroidery 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Arman.  takes  an  ensemble  of  sensual  fit  and  intensifies  its  provocat.on 
w.th  transparency.  But.  as  with  Yves  Sa.nt  Laurent's  transparent  effects, 
the  sheer  beauty  of  materials  and  elegance  of  line  in  Armani's  see- 
through  p.eces  preclude  any  sense  of  prurience  or  vulgarity.  Here  the 
beading  on  black  tulle  and  chiffon  appears  more  like  a  speckling  of  light 
than  it  does  embroidery. 

90 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  pants,  spring/summer  1997 
Jacket:  celadon  and  silver  polyester  blend  plain  weave  pave^mbroidered  with 
seed  beads,  bugle  beads,  sequins,  and  rhmestones:  pants:  iridescent  bronze 
polyester  satin 


Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

In  many  areas  of  Southeast  Asia,  fitted  shirtjackets  are  often  worn  with  a 
cummerbund  or  waist  sash.  In  other  parts  of  the  region,  sashes  are 
wrapped  around  the  bust  as  bustiers  or  used  to  secure  the  drape  of  long 
skirt  cloths.  In  this  evening  jacket.  Armani  superimposes  one  regional 
style  over  another.  Although  the  bust  panel  is  a  recollect.on  of  a 
traditional  clothing  detail,  it  no  longer  has  any  true  structural  purpose; 
rather  it  serves  to  frame  but  obscure  the  bust,  presenting  it  while 
constraining  it.  Like  so  many  of  Armani's  design  syntheses,  the  pleasure 
of  the  work  resides  in  the  richness  of  its  ambiguity. 

91 

Woman's  evening  tunic  coat  and  pants,  fall/winter  1990-91 

Coat:  multicolor  floral-printed  silk/rayon  blend  plain  weave  with  metallic  gold  bullion 

and  coil  and  multicolor  silk  thread  embroidery;  pants:  light  green  silk  satin 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  style  of  this  evening  coat  is  derived  from  India,  and  harks  back  to 

ancient  Mughal  court  jackets.  The  originals  had  fabric  tie  closings 

at  the  neck  and  mid-chest,  a  sashed  wa.st.  and  a  strongly  defined.  A-line 

skirt-details  that  have  been  el.m.nated  by  Armani.  But  though  the 

s.lhouette  has  been  tapered  and  the  embro.dered  fabr.c  has  motifs  that 

are  more  Southeast  Asian  than  Indian,  the  des.gner  has  retained  the 

narrow-sleeved,  chest-hugging  courtly  fit  and  rich  textile  heritage  of  the 

jacket's  source. 

92 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  pants,  fall/winter  1990-91 

Jacket:  white  silk  cloque;  pants:  multicolor  floral-printed  silk/rayon  blend 

compound  weave 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  mismatched  coordination  of  jacket  and  sarong  seen  in  Java  and 

Bali  is  alluded  to  in  this  pairing  of  a  pristine  white  silk  cloque  jacket  w.th 

richly  toned,  batik-printed  silk  pants.  Even  in  the  original,  the  body-hugging 

fit  of  the  jacket  juxtaposed  with  the  loose  wrap  of  the  sarong  creates 

a  silhouette  of  sensual  provocation;  here  Arman.  tightens  the  jacket's  fit 

until  it  breaches,  presenting  a  crescent  of  fissured  nudity.  Its  textured 

surface  references  trad.t.onal  quilting  techn.ques.  used  to  re.nforce  the 

durability  and  insulating  qualities  of  the  textile. 

93 

Woman's  strapless  evening  ensemble,  spring/summer  1993 

Multicolor  tropical-printed  silk  plain  weave  with  sequins,  micro  seed  beads,  bugle 

beads,  and  micro  rhmestones 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

A  sarong  may  be  wrapped  in  a  number  of  ways,  depending  on  tribal  and 

regional  custom.  Although  this  ensemble  is  comprised  of  a  separate  top 

and  skirt,  it  retains  the  effect  of  a  unified  and  continuous  textile.  The  top 

with  its  asymmetrical,  scarflike  drape,  alludes  to  the  practice  of  Southeast 

As.an  tribal  women  displaying  the  border  design  of  their  skirt  cloths 

across  their  chest. 

94 

Woman's  evening  vest,  overskirt,  and  pants,  spring/summer  1993 

Vest  purple,  green,  orange,  and  yellow  striped  polyester  p,n-tucked-effect  novelty 

weave-  skirt:  rose  polyester  gauze  with  clear  sequins  and  orange  and  mauve  flora  - 

printed  silk  crepe  de  chine  underlay;  pants:  multicolor  tropical-printed  silk  organza 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Here.  Armani  adopts  the  essentially  male  tradition  of  donning  a  short  ves 

over  a  tunic  or  robe,  seen  from  the  west  coast  of  Africa  to  the  far  reacne 

of  Southeast  Asia.  Part  of  a  collection  w.th  Malays.an  and  Indones.an 

references,  this  ensemble  also  suggests  a  use  of  textiles  that  dates 


to  nineteenth-century  Western  clothing,  when  colorfully  patterned 
calicos  were  used  to  line  more  sumptuous  dress  fabrics.  In  Armani's 
interpretation,  layers  of  uniformly  sequined,  plain-patterned  fabrics  cover 
an  elaborately  printed  underskirt  in  an  equally  luxurious  silk. 

95 

Woman's  one-shouldered  evening  ensemble,  spring/summer  1993 
Top:  green  and  bordeaux  silk  plain  weave  with  seed  beads  and  silk  floss 
embroidery;  skirt:  multicolor  tropical-printed  silk  plain  weave 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

The  wrapping  of  rectangles  of  cloth  in  different  lengths  and  proportions 
has  provided  an  infinite  variety  of  clothing  types  around  the  world; 
bandeaus,  bustiers,  skirts,  gowns,  and  even  pants  have  emerged  from 
the  topologies  of  these  tw.st-and-knot  practices.  The  one-shouldered  wrap 
top  of  this  ensemble  alludes  to  the  neckline  of  the  sari,  but  it  also 
suggests  the  evolving  form  of  a  fitted  bodice  in  the  process  of  being 
draped  on  a  dressmaker's  dummy. 

96 

Woman's  evening  blouse,  pareo.  and  skirt,  spring/summer  1990 

Blouse:  predominantly  beige  tropical-printed  silk  chiffon:  pareo:  navy  blue  and 

off-white  paisley-printed  silk  chiffon  with  pearls  and  gold  cord  embroidery; 

skirt:  predominantly  green  tropical-printed  silk  chiffon  with  pearls,  faceted  stones. 

micro  seed  beads,  and  gold  cord  and  silk  floss  embroidery 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

A  fluttering  blouse  redolent  of  the  1930s  is  worn  here  w.th  a  pareo. 

In  this  ethereal  ensemble,  Armani  does  not  so  much  merge  cultures  as 

he  po.ses  them  in  an  elegant  and  unexpected  balance.  Like  a  photograph 

faded  by  the  sun,  the  wild  mix  of  tropical  prints  is  leached  of  color 

until  only  a  tinted  grisaille  remains. 

97 

Woman's  strapless  evening  ensemble,  spring/summer  1990 

Bustier:  metallic  gold  lace  on  black  silk/rayon  blend  organza  with  sequins; 

skirt:  drab  green  silk  chiffon  with  foliate-patterned  silk  floss  embroidery 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

Though  the  elements  of  this  ensemble  can  be  found  in  much  of  the 

Malay  Peninsula  and  in  parts  of  Indonesia,  their  nch  embroidery  suggests 

art,sanal  traditions  particularly  associated  with  the  ™«PP>™"  ^ 

Armani  has  created  a  historical  conundrum,  an  ensemble  of  multiple 

referents  but  no  source,  for  Philippine  lace  and  embroidered  garmen s 

appear  to  be  an  evolved,  localized  form  of  European  models,  arguably 

derived  from  nineteenth-century  Spain. 

98 

Woman's  evening  tank  top  and  skirt,  spnng/summer  1993 

Predominant,  sage  green  MM***  >""««  *"*  °'^  "  !3d 
m,cro  rhinestones  secured  tfft  micro  seed  beads,  and  metal„c  silver  thread 

embroidery 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan  incnirpr1 

,n  a  collection  based  on  overembroidered  fabrics  with  p  nts  insf ,  ed 
by  Paul  Gauguin's  Tahitian  paintings.  Armani  illustrates  he  spo tswea 
strategy  that  informs  many  of  his  designs  for  evening.  In  t    s  ensemhle. 
the  humble  and  sporty  tank  top.  rendered  in  silk  organza  ■ .trans*  med 
into  an  evening  bodice,  which  Is  worn  over  wide-cot  pants  w, tf ,  the Mlow 
and  movement  of  a  skirt.  A  corona  of  silk  petals  is  wor ,  o  bead 

like  a  baka/ei,  the  traditional  garland  of  flowers  worn  in  Polynesia. 

99 

woman's  evening Jacket,  overs*,,,  and  pants.  "^^^ 
Jacket:  gok<  and  off***  -men  Ml;  overskirt.-  predominant/y  sage  green 


Gauguin-inspired  printed  silk  plain  weave;  pants:  light  green  silk  novelty  basket 
weave  with  metallic  silver  thread  embroidery 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Here,  a  signature  Armani  jacket-and-pants  ensemble  is  transported  to  the 
South  Pacific  by  its  accessorization  with  a  lei  and  the  introduction  of  an 
overskirt.  With  the  vertical  fall  of  the  softly  tailored  pants,  the  skirt's 
scarflike  drape  suggests  a  border-patterned  pareo  or  sarong.  Although  the 
wearing  of  a  jacket  with  a  pareo  is  not  unknown  in  the  South  Pacific,  it  is 
more  typical  of  Southeast  Asia.  Again,  Armani  has  created  a  design  that  is 
a  cross-fertilization  of  cultural  forms  and  practices  with  a  certifiable 
reality,  if  only  distantly  recalled. 

100 

Woman's  evening  dress  and  pants,  spring/summer  1993 

Dress:  predominantly  beige  Gauguin-inspired  printed  silk  plain  weave  with 

clear  sequins,  bugle  beads,  and  micro  rhinestones;  pants:  light  green  silk 

novelty  basket  weave 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Armani  has  invested  this  evening  dress,  inspired  by  the  simple  wrap  of 

a  sarong,  with  greater  structural  complexity  without  sacrificing  the  elegant 

line  of  the  original.  Sp.raling  around  the  body,  the  dress  ends  at  the  front 

with  two  deep  pleats,  which  create  the  regular,  fanlike  fall  of  fabric 

emphasized  by  the  curved  cut  of  the  cloth.  In  movement,  this  fullness 

encourages  the  light  fabric  to  billow  open  to  expose  the  narrow,  tapered 

pants  worn  beneath. 


101 

Woman's  evening  jacket,  over  skirt  and  pants,  spring/summer  1993 

Jacket:  predominantly  sage  green  Gauguin-inspired  printed  silk  plain  weave 

with  cupped  sequins,  bugle  beads,  and  clear  sequins  secured  with  green  thread 

and  micro  seed  beads;  skirt  and  pants:  predominantly  gray  Gauguin-mspired 

printed  silk  organza 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

When  working  w.th  light  fabrics.  Armani  typically  plays  w.th  the  effects  of 

layering.  Here,  the  illusion  of  transparency  invests  the  ensemble  with  a 

palpabte  eroticism.  Sheer  pants  are  seen  as  a  narrow,  shadowed  outline 

beneath  an  equal.y  sheer  overskirt.  and  a  silk  jacket  worn  wrthout  a 

blouse  has  only  slightly  more  opacity  than  the  layerec ^oversk.t a* ,    pants, 

but  potentially  more  opportunity  for  body  disclosure.  Armani  exploits  the 

susceptibi.ity  of  the  imagination  to  suggestion,  where  the  .mphed  Is  often 

more  powerful  than  the  overt. 

102,  103,  and  104 

Woman 's  strapless  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1993 

Charcoal  gray  silk  organza  with  micro  seed  beads  and  bugle  beads  and 

sage  green  silk  chiffon  underlay 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Woman's  strapless  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1993 

Gray-green  silk  crepe 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Woman's  strapless  evening  gown,  spnng/summer  1993 

Charcoal  gray  silk  organza  with  micro  seed  beads  and  bugle  beads  and 

sage  green  silk  chiffon  underlay 

====== 


337 


338 


fabrics,  inducing  a  faintly  uncanny  and  incantatory  seren. .  Th two 
gowns  w,th  beading  shown  here  reference,  improbably  bo ttpa-ctoth 
patterns  and  the  richly  gilded  graphic  language  of  Gustav  Kllmt  and 
the  Wiener  Werkstatte. 

105 

Woman's  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1993-94 

Jacket:  light  gray  wool  herringbone;  vest:  sage  green  silk  crepe-back  satin; 
pants:  sage  green  wool/rayon/nylon  blend  twill 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

A  spencer  appears  to  have  been  the  point  of  origin  for  th,s  pared-down 
jacket's  stylistic  transformation.  Collar  and  lapels  have  been  reduced 
to  tiny  crescent  lappets  at  the  throat,  with  the  fine  seams  used  in   he 
construction  of  a  conventional  collar  remaining  as  vestigial  marks  In  their 
angled  disposition,  these  seams  also  appear  to  be  ^^^^e 
darts  that  mark  the  tailor's  shaping  of  the  jacketfront  around  the  neck I  ne. 
across  the  collarbone,  and  to  the  shoulder.  Elsewhere,  seams  and  darts 
a  e  t  Led  with  typical  tailored  finishes,  except  for  the  welt  at  the  jacket  s 
"line  wh,ch  marks  a  short.  sh,rttail-like  extension  of  the  jacket.  The  )0,n 
is  a  cicatrix,  a  demarcation  of  the  annexing  of  one  form  to  another. 

106 

Woman's  pantsu/t.  spring/summer  1995 

Beige  cotton/rayon  blend  jacquard 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  importance  of  materials  and  finishing  details  In  Modernist 

architecture  derives  in  part  from  the  expression  of  structure,  a  strategy 

that  foregrounds  previously  hidden  elements.  In  this  soft  suit.  ~ 

creates  a  smgle-ply  jacket  without  linings  and-more  impor  antl  -wrfhout 

self-facings:  the  revers  are  simply  the  unders.de  of  the  cloth,  with  the 

reversal  of  the  tiny  jacquard  pattern's  zones  of  matte  and  shine  the  only 

indication  that  the  jacket  front  has  not  been  self-lined.  A  merrow  machine. 

which  cuts  and  overstitches  the  edge  of  a  fabric-typ.cally  an  industrial 

finishing  technique-has  been  used  to  outline  the  garment.  By  doing  so. 

Armani  not  only  elevates  the  mundane  mechanisms  of  production 

,o  ornamental  status,  but  is  also  able  to  create  a  tailored  jacket  with  the 

lightness  of  a  silk  blouse. 

107 

Woman's  pantsuit.  fall/winter  1993-94 
Beige  si*  jacquard 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

By  conscripting  delicate,  dress-weight  fabrics  for  tailored  jackets,  Arman. 
virtually  precludes  the  use  of  shoulder  pads  and  interfacings,  wh.ch  not 
only  would  show  through  in  relief,  but.  more  importantly,  would  change 
the  character  of  the  cloth.  Armani  explo.ts  the  natural  drape  of  the  fabric 
to  produce  a  body-molding  shape,  wh.ch  is  clearly  fac.litated  by  the  cloth  s 
flexibility  and  suppleness-characteristics  not  found  in  traditional  su.t.ngs. 
Despite  this  lack  of  any  stiffness,  Armani  maintains  a  crisp  line, 
compensating  for  any  of  the  disadvantages  inherent  in  the  lightness  of 
the  fabric  through  his  unprecedented  understanding  of  tailoring  in  his 
unconventional  medium.  The  shrinking  of  the  collar,  for  example,  is  made 
possible  by  the  elimination  of  the  shoulder  darts. 

108 

Woman's  suit,  fall /winter  1995-96 

Black  wool  crepe 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Charles  James,  the  great  American  designer  of  the  mid-twentieth  century. 

and  Balenciaga  can  be  seen  as  the  extremes  of  the  practices  of  tailoring 

and  dressmaking.  James  constructed  h.s  designs  using  padd.ng. 


-horsehair"  braid,  whalebone,  heavily  sized  net.  and  a  number  of 
interfacings  So  elaborately  supported  were  the  taut  skins  of  h.s  garments 
that  it  was  said  they  could  virtually  stand  on  their  own.  Balenciaga. 
on  the  other  hand,  attempted  to  achieve  shape  with  his  choice  of  cloth 
and  seaming  alone.  Often  the  full  effect  of  a  garment's  silhouette  could 
only  be  glimpsed  when  the  wearer  was  walking  and  movement  inflated 
the  piece  In  a  suit  that  recalls  the  heavily  structured,  shoulder-,  bust-, 
and  hip-padded  shaping  of  the  James  method.  Armani  has-with  the  slight 
exception  of  thin  flannel  pads  at  the  jacket's  shoulders-opted  for  the 
light  touch  of  Balenciaga. 

109 

Woman's  evening  pants  ensemble,  spring/summer  1999 

jacket:  teal  blue  silk  crinkle  crepe;  pants:  steel  gray  silk/nylon  blend  satin  with 

black  nylon/rayon  blend  tulle  overlay 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

From  h.s  earliest  collections  for  women.  Arman.  has  explored  the  idea 

of  a  tailored  jacket  that  wraps  at  the  waist,  thus  merging,  sphynxl.ke. 

the  parts  of  two  distinct  species.  Gradually,  the  bunched  drape  of  his 

earlier  designs  has  given  way  to  a  vestigial  cluster  of  radiating  ripples. 

The  gathered  cloth  no  longer  appears  to  allude  to  cummerbunds,  sashes, 
and  ethnic  traditions,  but  instead  communicates  a  self-reflective 
Modernist  assertion:  the  folds  now  represent  no  more  than  the  essential 
characteristics  of  the  cloth  itself.  As  dress-we.ght  fabric  is  manipulated 
into  a  jacket,  its  feminized  essence-its  suppleness  and  drape-appears 
out  of  the  masculinized  conditions  of  tailoring  as  in  a  palimpsest. 

110 

Woman's  evening  pants  ensemble,  spring/summer  1998 
Jacket:  dark  gray  silk/cotton  blend  crepe;  pants:  blue-black  silk  satin 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

As  if  to  destabilize  the  effortless  elegance  that  is  the  result  of  h.s 
mastery  of  fit  and  present  himself  with  new  tailoring  challenges.  Arman, 
creates  here  a  series  of  r.pp.es  at  the  wa.st  of  an  otherwise  uninfected 
torso-skimming  jacket.  The  consequence  of  this  small  detail  is  its 
introduction  of  excess  fabric  that  must  be  accommodated  elsewhere 
The  fabric's  grain  must  be  balanced  so  that  the  hem  of  the  jacket  falls 
without  ripples,  the  waist  does  not  bag.  and  the  jacket  closure  does  not 
shift  off-angle,  and  Armani  accomplishes  this  by  introducing  only  so  much 
additional  fabric  as  to  create  a  legible  drape,  but  not  so  much  that  it 
cannot  be  taken  up  by  the  contours  of  the  bust  and  hips. 

Ill 

Man's  leather  coat  ensemble,  fall/winter  1999-2000 
Coat:  dark  brown  leather;  pants:  gray  wool  twill 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Like  architect  Sigrid  Leweretz's  sophisticated  treatment  o glass  and  b  nek 
or  sculptor  Carl  Andre's  virtuoso  piecing  of  plywood  to  achieve  seemingly 
simple  effects,  Armani  celebrates  the  inherent  beauty  of  materials  in  this 
ensemble  with  a  deliberate  avoidance  of  extraneous  intervention  The 
crisp  edge  of  the  coat  achieves  its  perfection  through  the  weigh   and 
quality  of  the  leather-no  edges  have  been  backed  or  bound,  but  rather 
they  have  been  left  raw.  Here,  the  raw  is  the  more  refined. 

112 

Mans  suit,  fall/winter  1991-92 

Black  and  charcoal  wool  blend  pinstriped  novelty  twill 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  navy  blue  pin-  or  chalkstriped  suit  has  undergone  a  number  ot 

permutations  in  Armani's  hands  over  the  last  quarter  century.  Most 

notable  is  the  designer's  relaxing  of  the  fit  of  men's  tailoring  and 


introduction  of  new  materials  as  suitings.  But  his  interventions  are  also 
a  fundamental  reconsideration  of  masculinity  and  its  signs.  Although 
an  Armani  suit  from  one  period  of  the  designees  work  is  inevitably 
differentiated  from  that  of  another,  there  is  an  uncompromised 
consistency  in  his  tailored  creations:  they  are  never  stiff.  The  ease  that 
Armani  has  introduced  to  the  suit  is  nowhere  better  represented  than  in 
his  advocacy  of  uncreased  pants  with  pooling  cuffs,  creating  business 
dress  with  the  relaxed  feel  of  nightclothes. 

113 

Man's  raincoat  and  suit,  ca.  fall/winter  1984-85 

Raincoat:  dark  blue  wool  gabardine  with  detachable  tan  wool  flannel  lining; 

suit:  navy  blue  wool  twill 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan.  Gift  of  Verna  and  Jay  Cocks 

Like  the  unconstructed  blazer,  the  raincoat  has  become  a  signature 

Armani  item.  In  this  example,  the  traditional  form  of  the  balmacaan  is 

given  a  worn-in  suppleness:  shoulders  are  rounded,  the  neckline  is 

opened  up,  and  the  body  of  the  coat  is  expanded,  not  in  an  exaggerated 

conventional  A-line.  but  with  a  fullness  that  is  more  equally  distributed. 

The  result  is  a  coat  with  a  loose  swagger,  comfortably  capacious  and  with 

a  sense  of  movement.  As  in  all  of  Armani's  garments,  the  coat  has  been 

designed  to  give  a  sense  of  weight  and  play  against  the  body,  but  not  so 

much  as  to  introduce  an  insupportably  ostentatious  theatricality. 

114 

Woman's  evening  dress  and  pants,  spring/summer  1993 

Dress:  navy  blue  viscose/rayon  blend  plain  weave:  pants:  navy  blue  acetate/rayon 

blend  knit 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

While  rufflelike  ornament  occurs  in  Armani's  oeuvre,  it  is  likely  to  be  a 

fluted  fall  of  excess  fabric  that  is  the  consequence  of  a  structural 

necessity,  or  the  finished  edge  of  a  shirred  or  smocked  expanse.  Armani 

prefers  the  more  architectonic  tiered  band,  an  exaggerated  tuck,  pleat, 

or  fold  that  is  more  in  keeping  with  his  interest  in  introducing  sensuality 

and  femininity  to  the  rigorous  orthogonality  of  Modernism. 


115 

Man's  coat  and  suit,  fall/winter  1999-2000 

Coat:  dark  blue  wool  novelty  twill:  suit:  black  cotton  plain  weave 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

In  Armani's  fall/winter  1999-2000  collection,  the  razor-sharp  details 

of  the  1950s  introduced  previously  unreferenced  imagery  to  the 

designer's  tailoring.  While  communicating  a  more  honed  linearity,  the 

collection's  suits  and  coats  maintained  the  elegance  and  gravitas  inherent 

to  Armani's  sensibility.  Here,  the  high-notched,  narrowed  lapels  and 

cropped  length  of  the  coat  have  been  balanced  by  its  widened  shoulders 

and  stra.ght  drop.  The  result  is  a  proportion  that  is  reduced  but  not 

shrunken,  closer  to  the  body  but  not  constricting. 

116 

Man's  suit,  fall/winter  1999-2000 

Black  wool  twill 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

For  almost  150  years,  tailored  menswear  has  relied  on  a  number  of 

convtlns  that  though  occasional,  broken  and  s,o«-e 

to  inform  recent  experiments.  Even  Armani's  deliberate  tran^ons 

have  expressed  themselves  primarily  through  innovations  in  fab  res  and 

cut  and  have  generally  incorporated  much  of  tailoring's  h-storica 

language.  Because  that  language  is  so  codified.  Ganges-no  matter 

how  nuanced-carry  a  dramatic  weight.  Here,  the  hid der '  ~ 

of  the  double-breasted  jacket  effaces  the  buttons  that  normally  define 


and  reinforce  that  garment's  identity,  and  the  omission  is  so  notable 
as  to  become  a  surreal  zone  that  is  the  focus  of  the  suit. 

117 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  shorts,  spring/summer  1992 

Jacket:  gold  silk  organza  pave-embroidered  with  micro  rhmestones,  seed  beads, 

and  bugle  beads,  and  zipper  closing:  shorts:  taupe  cotton/rayon  blend  faille 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Taking  its  prime  motif  from  asymmetrically  closing  motorcycle  jackets, 

and  with  a  chain-mail  effect  produced  by  its  bead-  and  rhinestone- 

encrusted  surface,  this  jacket  suggests  protective  armor  while  also 

projecting  an  aura  of  evening  glamour.  Paired  with  cropped  Bermuda 

shorts  that  offer  freedom  of  mobility  and  a  level  of  modesty  not  possible 

with  a  skirt  of  the  same  length,  the  ensemble  is  typically  Armani  in 

its  simultaneous  embodiment  of  contradictions. 

118 

Woman's  evening  mini  dress  and  shorts  ensemble,  spring/summer  1991 

Dress:  gold  silk  chiffon  pave-embroidered  with  rhmestones  and  seed  beads:  shorts: 

gold  silk/acetate  blend  satin 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Here.  Armani  exploits  the  slippery,  mercurial  effect  of  pave-embroidered  silk. 

By  anchoring  the  heavily  beaded  textile  at  the  side  seams.  Armani  causes  a 

liquid  drape  to  fall,  apronlike,  across  the  pelvis.  Even  the  revers  at  the 

plunging  neckline  collapse  under  the  weight  of  the  surface  embellishment. 

While  the  ensemble,  with  its  glimmer  and  heft,  is  reminiscent  of  chain  mail. 

Armani's  draping  of  the  material  is  more  closely  aligned  to  that  of  the 

glamorous,  chiffon-weight  gold-lame  gowns  of  the  1930s. 

119 

Woman's  evening  gown,  fall /winter  1994-95 
Gray-green  silk/nylon/spandex  blend  knit 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

Armani  has  claimed  that  each  of  his  designs  originates  in  a  consideration 
of  the  textile  Here,  the  addition  of  nylon  and  spandex  to  silk  has  resulted 
in  a  gossamer-weight  fabric  with  strength  and  elasticity.  Specifically  because 
of  the  fabric's  blend,  the  sleeves  of  the  gown  can  be  tautly  fitted  and  its 
bodice  tightly  shirred  without  shaping  seams  or  darts.  The  fabric's  give  has 
encouraged  and  enabled  a  design  freed  of  the  constraints  of  fit  lines. 

120 

Woman's  one-shouldered  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1994 

Gown:  silver  gray  silk  plain  weave  with  seed  beads  and  rayon  floss  embroidery; 

pants  (not  visible  in  photograph):  celadon  silk  organza 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Arman,  has  introduced  designs  with  the  effect  of  chain  mail  in  several 

of  his  collections.  In  some  instances,  the  effect  Is  produced  by  a  woven 

mesh  of  metallic  thread,  but  more  frequently  It  arises  from  the  uniform 

and  overall  application  of  heading.  Arman,  rarely  exploits  the  e  fee  for 

d,rect  historical  reference;  rather,  it  becomes  the  bas.s  for  designs  of  an 

industrial  sleekness,  at  once  atavistic  and  futuristic. 


121 

Woman's  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1992 

Celadon  silk  crepe 

rCeTe^tCn^ne  and  plunging  armholes  of  this  gown  lap 

r^Jso  asl  moves,  but  they  are  so  anchored  by  the  we,g,  o  the  gown 

that  inadvertent  exposure  ,s  precluded.  The  rounded      ge ej «he  c«m 

front  opening  at  the  hem  collapse  together  to  con  ea,  the  b rw£  bu 

m,d.str,de  the  skirt  plays  agamst  the  legs  In  a  more  exaggerated 

of  the  shifting  revelations  of  the  bodice. 


339 


122 

Woman's  one-shouldered  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1997 

Electric  blue  silk  crepe 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

Saturated  colors  are  no,  generally  associated  w„h  Arman,.  yet  they  recur 
consistently  In  his  collections.  In  which  ultramarine  blues,  emerald  greens. 
and  reds  often  appear  either  alone  or  in  combination.  In  th.s  gown. a 
biomorphic  neckline  describes  the  concavities  and  convexities  _of  the 
wearer's  pctrine.  But.  like  the  splash  of  blue  pant  on  a  naked  Yves  Klein 
model,  the  skin-tight  cut  of  Armani's  gown  only  appears  to  disclose  more 
than  it  reveals. 

123 

Woman's  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1997 

Nude  nylon  knit  mesh  pave-embro.dered  with  rhmestones.  seed  beads, 
and  bugle  beads,  and  linen  twill  tape 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Costume  h.stor.an  R.chard  Mart.n  often  cited  Claude  Lev.-Strauss  s 
cultural  metaphor  of  "the  raw  and  the  cooked"  to  descr.be  the 
strategy  of  contemporary  des.gners  to  juxtapose  the  crude  w.th  the 
refined.  Th.s  .mpulse  is  man.fested  in  Armani's  unapologet.c  use  of  the 
most  mundane,  if  funct.ona.ly  su.ted.  materials  in  h.s  work.  The  bead.ng  of 
th.s  gown  is  fixed  to  an  elast.c  flesh-toned  mesh,  produc.ng  a  sirenlike  fit, 
but  to  control  the  stretch  and  deformity  that  is  inevitable  when  such  an 
elastic  material  is  encumbered  by  the  weight  of  beads,  the  designer 
finishes  the  gown's  neckline  and  armholes  with  twill  binding  tape.  The 
rough-and-fine  play  of  industrial  tape  and  silver-lined  glass  beads  is  typical 
of  Armani's  tempering  of  even  the  most  formal  effects  with  the  casual 
and  the  everyday. 

124 

Woman's  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1997 
Pale  peach  nylon  knit  mesh  with  sequins  and  seed  beads 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  glazed  body  shimmer  of  this  translucent,  glove-tight  evening  gown 
harks  back  to  the  concert  wardrobe  of  Marlene  Dietrich  and  to  the 
.ncandescent  dress  worn  by  Marilyn  Monroe  in  celebration  of  President 
Kennedy's  birthday.  In  contrast  to  the  more  worldly,  theatrical  designs 
worn  by  the  two  blonde  sex  icons,  however.  Armani's  vers.on  is  infused 
with  a  classicizing  innocence.  This  gown  has  its  progenitors  in  the  simple 
cotton  mull  chemises  worn  by  merve/7/euses  during  the  D.recto.re  per.od; 
the  chem.ses.  it  is  said,  were  doused  with  water  to  dry  clinging  to  the 
body  By  introducing  the  casual  cut  of  the  T-shirt  to  the  "naked"  evening 
gown.  Armani  infuses  it  with  simplicity  and  historical  allusion  without 
eroding  any  of  its  sensual  appeal. 

125 

Woman's  one-shouldered  evening  dress,  spring/summer  1998 

Nude  nylon  organza  with  faceted  stones,  seed  beads,  and  bugle  beads 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  narrow  straps  of  th.s  one-shouldered  evening  dress  suggest  the 

quiver  harnesses  worn  by  the  goddess  Diana  and  her  attendants  over  their 

chitons  Beyond  this  mechanism  for  support,  the  dress's  primary  ornament 

is  its  allover  beading.  Armani  adds  lines  of  faceted  stones  and  seed  beads 
to  the  matrix  of  direct.onally  laid  bugle  beads.  The  subtlety  of  the  resulting 

"striped"  pattern  is  appreciated  only  in  close  proximity,  or  when  light  is 

fixed  on  the  dress  in  movement  and  lightninglike  flashes  of  brilliance  are 

conducted  by  the  rhmestones  up  and  down  the  dress. 


126 

Woman's  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1989 
Black  silk  crepe  with  silk  floss  embroidery 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

This  gown  evokes  disparate  references,  from  Pre-Raphaelite  med.eval.zed 
costume  to  Northern  African  robes,  but  its  most  salient  characteristic  is 
the  dressmaking  skill  required  to  construct  it.  The  pattern  pieces  outl.ned 
by  floss  embro.dery  suggest  a  r.gorous  orthogonality,  and  to  maintain  that 
right-angled  projection  onto  the  contours  of  the  female  form  requires 
a  v.rtuos.c  handling  of  the  flat  pattern,  for  grains,  the  lines  of  warp  and 
weft,  must  align  and  be  balanced. 

127 

Woman's  evening  tunic  and  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95 
Tunic  and  pants:  black  nylon  tulle  with  seed  beads  and  bugle  beads; 
bodysuit:  black  nylon/elastomer  blend  knit  mesh  with  black  sequins 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

This  evening  ensemble  with  flared  tunic  has  the  proportions  of  a  day  su.t 
from  1910  but  is  paired  with  pants  rather  than  a  skirt.  Surprisingly,  this 
does  not  d.lute  the  allusion.  As  w.th  some  anachronisms  encountered 
in  the  theater  and  cinema,  the  libert.es  taken  in  Armani's  work  are  often 
the  very  elements  that  reinforce  the  historical  effect.  The  trousers,  wide 
for  pants  but  narrower  than  most  skirts,  convey  the  taper  of  the  per.od 
hobble  skirt.  Like  his  evocations  of  foreign  lands,  Armani's  designs  that 
refer  to  other  times  have  a  deceptive,  epigrammat.c  clarity.  Transformed 
by  his  imagination,  the  elusive  and  .mprecise  sources  for  h.s  des.gns 
appear  convincingly  historical. 

128 

Woman's  evening  vest  coat  and  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95 
Vest  coal  black  cotton/nylon  blend  lace  and  black  nylon  tulle  with  seed  beads, 
bugle  beads,  and  sequins;  bodysuit:  black  nylon  knit  mesh;  pants:  black  nylon  knit 
mesh  with  bugle  beads  and  rayon  floss  embroidery 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

With  dark  humor.  Arman.  merges  the  embellished  propriety  of  the  late- 
nineteenth-century  mourn.ng  dress  with  the  black  beret  and  turtlenecked 
bohem.an.sm  of  the  Apache  dancer  of  Paris  in  the  1950s.  The  et.quette 
of  mourning  from  Victorian  into  Edwardian  times  required  that  many 
people  were  clothed  in  some  sartorial  expression  of  grief  for  much  of 
their  lives-  black  dresses  became  a  uniform  of  the  times.  Given  the 
.rrepress.ble  impulse  to  fashion,  however,  various  socially  acceptable 
means  evolved  to  dress  up  mourning  apparel.  Jet  embro.dery  and  lace 
were  favored  forms  of  elaboration,  and  they  are  cited  here  in  Arman.  s 
recontextualizing  of  "autre  temps,  autre  moeurs." 

129 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  skirt,  fall/winter  1989-90 

Jacket:  black  rayon  velvet;  skirt:  black  silk  chiffon  with  faceted  stones  and  sequms 
and  white  silk  satin  underlay 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Here  Armani's  rendering  of  historical  dress-inspired  by  depictions 
of  Portuguese  traders  on  Japanese  screens  of  the  late  Momoyama  and 
early  Tokugawa  periods-.s  filtered  through  the  transformative  lens  of  h.s 
pagination.  While  the  jacket  retains  the  high  band  collar  and  pointed 
waist  of  the  original,  its  sleeves  have  been  narrowed.  More  drastically,  the 
ballooning  breeches  of  the  time  have  been  replaced  by  a  long  skirt, 
although  this  does  not  shatter  the  illusion:  by  weighting  the  hem  of  the 
chiffon  overlayer  with  bead.ng.  and  by  cutting  the  skirt  in  a  slight  peg, 
Armani  re-creates  the  silhouette  of  seventeenth-century  pantaloons. 


130 

Woman's  evening  jacket  and  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1989-90 
jacket:  black  rayon  velvet  and  trompe  I'oeil  black  silk  organza  neckerchief  with 
metallic  silver  thread  embroidery  and  bugle  beads;  pants:  black  rayon  velvet 
and  black  silk  satin 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

In  perhaps  his  most  academic  and  esoteric  reference,  Armani  details 
this  evening  ensemble  with  elements  derived  from  the  dress  of  late- 
sixteenth-early  seventeenth-century  Jesuit  missionaries.  Because  of  the 
full  cut  of  the  pants,  the  ensemble  has  the  silhouette  of  a  clerical  robe, 
an  allusion  that  is  reinforced  by  the  trompe  I'oeil  neckerchief  with  a 
pattern  of  jet  beaded  crosses. 

131 

Woman's  evening  tunic  and  pants  ensemble,  fall/winter  1994-95 

Tunic:  beige  silk  chiffon  with  bugle  beads  and  sequins:  bodysuit  and 

pants:  nude  nylon  tulle  with  bugle  beads  and  cupped  sequins 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

The  tunics  and  tights  of  late-fifteenth-century  Renaissance  nobles 

and  the  gilded  Apollo  costume  made  in  1653  for  Louis  XIV 

(the  Sun  King)  are  both,  arguably,  sources  for  this  evening  ensemble. 

As  always,  the  appropriation  is  not  a  plagiarizing  of  historical  fact. 

but  rather  a  fabulist's  interpretation.  Enough  abides  of  the  original  to 

establish  the  narratives,  but  the  final  expression  is  an  almost  total, 

albeit  convincing,  invention. 

132 

Woman's  evening  bodice  and  skirt,  spring/summer  1990 

Bodice:  charcoal  gray  silk  chiffon  with  round  and  tear-shaped  pearls  and  metallic 

gold  cord:  skirt:  multicolor  floral-printed  silk  chiffon 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

In  his  spring/summer  1990  collection.  Armani  presented  a  series  of 

evening  ensembles  inspired  by  Serge.  D.aghilev's  Ballets  ^sses. 

Precipitated  by  the  company's  performance  of  Scheherazade  in  1910  an 
orientalist  rage  persisted  into  the  1920s,  abetted  in  no  small  way  by  the 
production's  opulent  costumes,  designed  by  Leon  Bakst.  In  this .evening 
ensemble.  Armani  has  mined  not  only  the  orientalist  imagery  and  densely 
encrusted  components  of  Bakst's  costumes,  but  the  structural 
components  that  accommodated  the  explosive  **™xf"We«^.s 
Russian  dancers:  sleeves  cut  high  and  tight  (counter-mtu.tively  this  allows 
for  a  greater  freedom  of  rotation  of  the  arm)  and  legs  that  are  barely 
constrained  by  silk  chiffon. 

133 

Woman's  evening  jacket,  overskirt.  and  pants  ensemble.  W^*^1™ 
jacket-  multicolor  printed  silk  chiffon  with  bugle  beads,  mini  sequins,  silk  floss 
embroidery,  seed  beads,  and  pearls;  overskirt:  multicolor  printed  silk  org=th 
black  silk  knit  and  multicolor  printed  silk  chiffon;  pants:  multicolor  printed  cotton 
tulle;  sash:  gold  net  with  multicolor  filet  embroidery  and  sequins 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan  f„rmaiitv  of 

This  pagoda-skirted  tunic  conveys  the  rich  and  restrictive  formality  of 
the  court  but  like  a  costume  worn  for  the  part  of  a  Persian  prince  in  a 

a  It  the  tunic's  skirt-actually  a  separate  element-can  be  ^,n 
the  second  scene  to  leave  the  short,  fitted  jacket  and  ™<™T 
better  to  see  the  grandes  jettees  of  the  principal.  The  theatrical 
«  ability  fo  evolve  Is  a  feature  shared  by  »Por«e^  m 
this  most  exotic  expression  of  fantasy.  Arman,  does  no  —  n 
convictions  about  dress:  beauty  never  entails  the  sacrifice  of  comfort. 

and  true  elegance  can  only  exist  in  physical  ease. 


134 

Woman's  evening  bandeau  and  pants  ensemble,  spring/summer  1990 
Bandeau:  black  silk  tulle  with  pearls,  bugle  beads,  and  metallic  gold  bullion, 
thread,  and  coil;  pants:  black  polyester  chiffon  with  sequins,  black  nylon  tulle  with 
sequins,  and  multicolor  printed  silk  tulle 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Among  the  Ballets  Russes's  most  recognized  costumes  was  the  shoulder- 
baring  ensemble  worn  by  Vaslav  Nijinsky  as  the  wildly  acrobatic  slave  In 
Scheherazade.  Photographs  by  Baron  Adolf  de  Meyer  captured  Nijinsky's 
animalistic  charisma,  enhanced  in  no  small  way  by  the  oriental  splendor 
of  his  jeweled  girdle,  fluffed  waist  sash,  and  gold  harem  pants.  In 
Armani's  interpretation,  the  girdle  shrinks  to  a  midriff-baring  brassiere,  an 
article  of  clothing  not  invented  at  the  time,  and  the  highly  sculptural  lame 
waist  sash  and  pants  are  rendered  in  transparent  layers  of  chiffon  and 
tulle  The  male  slave  is  transformed  into  an  equally  resplendent 
odalisque,  dressed  not  in  the  stiff  ornamental  textiles  of  ceremonial  livery, 
but  in  the  seductive  and  filmy  lounging  pajamas  of  the  harem. 

135 

Woman's  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1989 

Gown:  black  silk  chiffon;  stole:  black  s,lk  chiffon  and  white  silk  chiffon 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Unlike  most  of  Armani's  work,  which  is  resolutely  nonreferent.al,  certain 
of  his  designs  elicit  a  recognitory  response  that  suggests  a  precedent- 
no  matter  how  elus.ve-for  the  garment.  This  evening  gown,  which  has 
certain  characteristics  of  Jan  van  Eyck's  Arnolfin.  bride's  costume,  may 
,n  fact  allude  to  the  cotton  mull  dresses  of  the  D.recto.re  and  Empire 
periods.  The  raised  waistline,  open  neckline,  and  short,  tight  sleeves 
conform  to  styles  of  the  period,  as  does  that  vestige  of  ancien  regime 
court  dress,  the  center-front  slit  that  reveals  an  underskirt.  Even  the 
accessorizing  of  the  gown  with  a  long,  rectangular  scarf  has  a  counterpart 
in  the  coordinated  sheer  mull  wraps  of  the  time.  Still,  like  Cecil  Beaton  s 
costumes  for  Audrey  Hepburn  in  My  Fair  Lady  (1964)  that  alluded  to  the 
D.recto.re  revival  of  1910.  Armani's  evocation  is  informed  more  by  his 
own  very  contemporary  aesthetic  sensibility  than  any  historical  precedent. 

136 

woman's  oft-the-shoulder  evening  bifurcated gown,  fall/winter  1989-90 

Brown  silk/rayon  blend  velvet  with  off-white  silk  satin 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

This  gown  with  a  nonchalant,  off-the-shoulder  neckline  evokes  the 
a  gulus  elegance  of  the  1930s.  But.  by  treating  the  S  Irt  Arman, 
ontemponzes  the  historical  allusion  and  balances  the  overtly  ferine 

"th  me  covertly  mascul.ne:  gendered  associations  are  st„  attached 
To  pants,  even  when  the  pants  are  cut  to  the  width  of  a  full  sKIrt  The 
wearer  ,s  freed  to  experience  the  liberation  of  movement  made  possrble 
by  pants,  even  as  she  proiects  an  uncompromised  femininity, 

137 

Woman's  ha/rer-neck  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1990 

Gown  dark  mustard  silK  crepe  *ftn  seed  beads,  bug/e  deads,  and  faceted 

stones,  pants  ,not  visible  in  photograph,:  dark  mustard  silk  crepe 

Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan  ._,_.i  „„=,  the 

The  cut  of  this  gown  is  s.m.lar  to  others  created  by  Arman,  ove the 

elegance  of  the  gown  also  recalls  the  bias-cut  dresses  of  the  1930s. 
with  their  Art  Moderne-insp.red  streamlining. 


138 

Woman's  evening  sweater  and  skirt,  fall/wmter  1998-99 
Sweater:  midnight  blue  wool/cashmere  blend  knit; 
skirt:  midnight  blue  silk  satin 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

Although  Ma.nbocher  is  credited  with  creating  the  first  evening  sweater 
during  World  War  II,  his  design  was  actually  a  coordinated  jewel- 
embroidered  pullover  and  cardigan.  Since  Mainbocher's  enlistment  of 
the  knitted  top  to  evening  dress,  other  designers,  most  of  them  American, 
have  explored  the  possibilities  of  the  strategy.  Armani's  contribution  to 
the  genre  in  this  ensemble  is  characteristically  minimalist,  but 
unabashedly  luxurious  as  well.  Although  its  unrelenting  spareness  can 
only  be  seen  as  contemporary,  the  full  sweep  of  the  skirt's  train  evokes 
Belle  Epoque  grandeur. 


142 

Woman's  strapless  evening  gown,  spring/summer  1999 
Scarf:  light  gray  silk  chiffon:  gown:  light  gray  silk  organza  with  cupped  sequins 
and  dark  silver  gray  silk  tulle  overlay 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

The  layering  of  a  variety  of  materials  of  barely  shifting  hues  and  sheen  is 
characteristic  of  Armani,  as  is  a  casual,  sportswear  approach  to  dress, 
even  for  eveningwear.  This  ethereal  evening  gown  is  composed  of  a  body- 
hugging  patterned  and  sequined  underdress  overlaid  with  a  wide  cage  of 
silk  mesh.  The  iridescent  silk  bodice  is  actually  a  scarf  wrapped  tightly 
around  the  bust,  securing  the  strapless  neckline.  Using  richly  oscillating 
optical  effects  in  difficult-to-define  chromatic  mixes,  Armani  renders  a 
design  of  elegant  simplicity  and  subtle  complexity. 


139 

Woman's  evening  bustier  and  skirt  ensemble,  spring/summer  1993 

Off-white  silk  chiffon 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

In  homage  to  the  impeccable  craft  of  post-World  War  II  couturier  Jean 
Desses  Armani  pleats  this  bustier  in  the  French  designer's  signature 
style  Armani  makes  it  his  own.  however.  First,  he  separates  the  bod.ce 
from  the  skirt,  introducing  a  sportswear-like  ease.  (In  contrast,  the  pleats 
of  the  bod.ce  in  Desses's  original  released  at  the  waist  to  become  the 
continuous  panels  of  the  gown's  skirt.)  Second,  a  stiffly  boned  corset 
would  have  supported  the  pleated  skin  of  the  original  dress,  whereas 
Armani's  structuring  is  unboned,  flexible,  and  elastic.  In  a  final  signature 
touch.  Armani  introduces  an  element  of  the  exotic  in  the  form  of  a  corded 
waist  tie  redolent  of  the  passementeries  of  the  Near  East. 


342 


140 

Woman's  evening  bodice  and  skirt,  spring/summer  1996 
Bodice:  gray  silk  organza  with  bugle  beads  and  metallic  gold  thread  embroidery: 
skirt:  blue,  yellow,  and  white  silk  organza 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives,  Milan 

The  late  1950s  and  early  1960s  witnessed  a  style  of  ball  gown  that  was 
universally  adopted.  Characterized  by  a  jeweled  bodice  attached  to  a 
voluminous  bell-shaped  skirt,  the  style  was  endorsed  by  Balenc.aga  and 
Hubert  de  Givenchy.  In  his  version.  Armani  detaches  the  bodice  from  the 
skirt  to  reveal  the  contemporary  zone  of  erogeny.  the  toned  abdomen. 
A  thin  black  patent-leather  belt  introduces  a  quality  of  informality  to  the 
ensemble  and  emphasizes  the  disjointed  condition  of  the  gown.  Because 
the  belt  is  not  anchored  to  the  skirt's  waistband,  it  shifts,  riding  up  into 
the  sliver-exposed  midriff. 


141 

Woman's  evening  scarf  top  and  skirt  ensemble,  spring/summer  1999 
Scarf  top:  gray  silk  organza:  skirt:  gray  silk  tulle  with  bugle  beads,  cupped  sequins, 
and  rhmestones.  gray  silk  tulle  overlay,  and  taupe  silk  chiffon  lining 
Giorgio  Armani  Archives.  Milan 

A  softening  of  the  structure  of  eveningwear  occurred  in  the  1970s, 
particularly  in  the  work  of  Italian  and  American  designers,  who  endowed 
dresses  with  a  body-conscious  ease  reminiscent  of  the  1930s,  but 
without  that  period's  complications  of  cut.  In  his  spring/summer  1999 
collection.  Armani  appeared  to  hark  back  to  the  lithe  glamour  of  the 
time  with  a  series  of  evening  gowns  based  on  the  wrap  of  a  scarf. 
The  informal  practice  of  knotting  a  scarf  top  as  a  cover-up.  most 
frequently  encountered  on  the  beach,  is  the  central  element  of  this 
"gown"  (actually  a  skirt  and  top). 


MEN'S 


AND    WOMEN'S    COLLECTIONS,     1976-2001 


in  July  1975  Giorgio  Armani  registered  his  trademark.  That  October  he 
presented  his  men's  collect-on  for  spring/summer  1976.  the  first  under 
his  own  name. 

The  following  descriptions  of  his  collections  for  men  and  women  are  not 
.ntended  to  be  comprehensive,  but  rather  to  outline  the  most  significant 
mnovations  of  each  season.  Information  has  been  compiled  from  Giorgio 
Armani  press  releases,  reviews  and  articles  in  fashion  magazines  and 
newpapers.  and  Richard  Martin  and  Harold  Koda's  Giorgio  Arman,: 
Images  of  Man  (New  York:  Rizzoli.  1990). 


SPRING/SUMMER     1976 

Menswear  Double-breasted  suits  that  are  softer  and  have  a 
contemporary  look,  worn  with  wide  ties;  collars  inspired  by  work  clothing 
and  the  Chinese  "Mao"  jacket;  and  natural-colored  separates.  Fabrics: 
linen  and  light  suedes.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Jackets  made  with  traditional  menswear  fabrics  that  are 
simple  and  soft  and  scaled  down  in  size,  worn  over  casual  separates; 
terry  blousons  in  tobacco,  purple,  blue,  fuchsia,  raspberry,  and  lilac,  worn 
with  matching  giant  terry  shoulder  bags;  suede  sweatshirts  in  wh.te  with 
pale  blue  stripes  and  vice  versa;  front-pleated  pants  (a  first  in  women's 
fashions);  straight  skirts  slightly  gathered  at  the  waist,  worn  with  cotton 
T-shirts-  very  long  skirts,  worn  with  shirts  without  fastenings  but  closed 
by  a  button  on  the  shoulder;  and  below-the-calf  skirts  with  contrasting 
linen  tops  inspired  by  India.  Fabrics:  natural,  including  "fake  poor  fabrics" 
such  as  coarse  linens.  Indian  cottons,  canvas-type  hemp,  velour  terry,  and 
very  soft  suede.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


FALL/WINTER    1976-77 

Menswear  Suits  in  low-relief  ribbed  wools;  single-breasted  jackets  with 
squared  shoulders  and  narrowed  sleeves  worn  with  button-down-collar, 
flap-pocket  shirts,  plain  wool  chall.s  ties,  and  long  cashmere  scarves; 
jackets  with  shaped  lapels  and  straight  hems,  cut  In  narrower  silhouettes, 
pants  with  flat  fronts  and  straight  legs;  overalls;  fine-gauge  sweaters  in 
geometric  jacquard  knits;  leather  bomber  jackets  with  high  necks;  cloth 
blousons  and  car  coats  with  military  details;  and  outerwear  with  z.ppered 
pocket  closures.  Fabrics:  cotton  p.ques  and  str.ped  poplins,  f.ne-r.bbed 
wools,  corduroy,  pinstriped  and  bird's-eye  wools,  velvet,  and  jacquard 
jersey  knits.  Colors:  stone  gray,  charcoal,  chestnut,  and  dark  chocolate 
brown.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Tweed  suits;  suits  with  printed  velvet  vests  and  brown-and- 
white  wool  boucle  sk.rts;  masculine  jackets,  worn  with  feminine  pleated 
skirts;  jackets  with  long,  runn.ng  lapels  and  single-button  Cos u res.  do  h 
shirtjackets;  Scottish  woo.  flannel  blouses;  brown  velvet  dusters,  chevron 
coats;  peckary  suede  trench  coats;  and  waterproof  taffeta  coats.  Fabrics, 
w.de-r.bbed  velvet,  leather,  and  wool  plaids.  Colors:  sporty  and  rustic, 
sometimes  austere,  referring  to  English  country  ladies'  fashions. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1977 

Menswear  Unconstructed  suits  comprised  of  unlined  jackets  with  a 
,ower  button  stance,  straight,  lightly  padded  shoulders,  patch  pockets, 
and  loose  pants;  sportswear  defined  by  a  rumpled  look;  and  leather  vests 
and  coats.  Fabrics:  cotton  toiles.  slubbed  s.lk.  textured  wool  crepes 
(traditionally  used  in  womenswear).  solid  seersucker,  and  l.nen  in  basket- 
weave  effects.  Colors;  natural  tones  from  off-wh.te  to  ecru  and  sand,  w.th 
blue   rust,  and  black.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Soft,  unconstructed  jackets;  double-layered  sk.rts 
(the  second  one  held  loosely  at  the  hips  by  a  belt);  rolled-up  pants  and 
shorts-  and  V-neck  and  collarless  shirts.  The  collection  features  a 
classic  and  elegant,  nonchalant  style.  Accessories:  small  bag-shaped 
pockets  lightly  secured  on  belts.  Fabrics:  raw  silks,  linens,  checked 
gauzy  cottons,  and  leather  sewn  like  patchwork.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1978 

Menswear   Unconstructed  double-breasted  suits  in  mud  and  earth 
colors,  worn  with  two-inch  ties;  shorts  suits  with  cowl-neck  shirts;  pants 
with  gathered  waistbands,  worn  with  sunburst-seamed  tops;  military-look 
tapered  pants  with  drawstring  or  elasticized  waists  and  large  bellow 
pockets;  relaxed-necked  shirts;  plain  or  textured  casual  knit  tops;  boat- 
neck  shirts;  and  smocked  leather  jackets,  worn  with  T-shirts  with  tire 
tracks  printed  across  the  chest.  Colors:  mostly  olive  green  and  khaki. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Jackets  and  blazers  to  be  worn  by  day  or  night  or  even 
over  a  swimsuit;  short  silk  crepe  de  chine  jackets  that  close  at  the 
waist  like  boleros;  softly  ta.lored  dresses  and  sk.rts  with  a  deep  slit 
down  the  front;  and.  for  evening,  crepe  de  chine  blazers  worn  over 
matching  strapless  dresses.  Fabr.cs:  damask  w.th  a  palm-leaf  motif 
and  l.nen  with  flannel-like  pinstripes.  Colors:  green,  bronze,  brown,  pink, 
orange,  ol.ve  green  worn  w.th  red.  and  gray  tones.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Bob  Krieger. 


FALL/WINTER     197  7-78 

Melswear  Classic  double-breasted  cashmere  blazers  w£  ^^ 

lanels  and  single-button  closures;  vests  worn  over  jackets,  flat-front  pants, 
u  t    neck  shirts  and  sweaters;  unusual  shirt  collars;  h,gh-collar  rainwear. 

Z  coats  and  vests  with  cotton/wool  fleece  lining,  F^- p— 
suitings,  moha,r.  tweed,  wool,  corduroy,  and  glove  leather.  Colors,  softer 
and  more  fem.nine.  including  blanket  checks  in  bordeaux.  p,nk.  and 
camel.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fan*. 
Womenswear  Layered  jackets:  knit  jackets  over  tweed  ^.^ 
cloth  jackets  over  leather  blousons.  fabric  jackets  over  leather  jackets 
S£c  ««.  wt*  long,  running  lapels  and  ^button  closure, 
innovative  drawstring-closure  blazers;  tweed  wool  bl«ers  ar«lb  tou  sons. 
sh,rtjackets  and  flannel  "British  officer"  shirts;  ^^JJ^Vj* 
flowing  wrap  skirts;  skirts  w,th  yoke  detailing  at  the  h.ps.  starts  w.th 
roTedLstbands;  masculine-cut  sh,rts  with  lace  cut* i  an ooHa* 
traditionally  styled  and  m,.itary.insp,red  sportswea  :  *— f^  ^ 
front  coats  with  cotton/wool  fleece  linings  and  leather  trim.  ^cess0,e^ 

mohair  gauze,  corduroy,  flannel,  suede,  leather,  plaids,  and  Hams  tweed. 
Colors:  burgundy,  pink,  olive,  and  camel.  Advertising  campaign, 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


FALL/WINTER    1978-79 

Menswear  V-shaped  proportions  (broad  shoulders  to  tapered  waist  and 
hips);  double-breasted  suits  with  wide  peaked  lapels;  suit  and  spo  s 
jacKets  with  mar„nga,es;  leather  jackets  worn  with  Has;  m Un* a 
Eisenhower  jackets  with  epaulets;  leather  pants;  over Is anc I  co» neck 
knits  The  collection-inspired  by  American  actors  of  the  ™**™ 
^Os  such  as  Cary  Grant  and  Gregory  Peck-introduces  the   Arman, 
slouch  "  which  appeals  to  the  youth  market.  Fabrics:  corduroy  and 

UoCvai,vewoo,sPColors:  earth  -es-neu,ra,  clay,  and  oce,aCcen,ed 
with  wine  red.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fa  a 
Womenswear  Prince  of  Wales  suits  with  slim  wrap  skirts  o  full,  pleated 
s°Z Square-shouldered  jackets  With  pleats  around  a  single  button 
ape  ed  lean-cut  jackets  with  varied  lapels  and  tiny  pockets  jackets  with 

leather  iackets-  and  furs,  including  sheared  mink  coats.  Access0 
" ^tro^er  jackets  and  coats.  Fabrics:  flannel,  bir    seye.      d 
tweed  Colors:  pewter,  black,  mustard,  lilac,  apricot,  teal,  raspber  ry. 
pC  and  chestnut.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Bob  Kr.eger. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1979 

Menswear  Double-breasted  suits  with  two-button  closures,  long  lapels, 
and  padded  shoulders;  single-breasted  jackets  with  a^»t»- 
lapels  single-button  closure,  and  a  wide,  sharp  but  sloping  shoulder  line 
lorniortabfe  jackets  w,th  raglan  sleeves;  overalls;  white  pants-  pan ts .with 
tapered  legs;  and  raincoats.  Military  details  are  eliminated  and  looks 
are  more  romantic.  Fabncs;  suede,  terry,  cotton,  sheer  linen,  and  velour. 
Colors-  iridescent  blues,  purples,  and  mustard  with  white.  Bordeaux, 
and  rust.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  «■• 
Womenswea,  Suits;  soft  blazers  with  narrow  lapels  *^* '**« S 
and  blazers  with  broad,  squared  shoulders;  sh.rts  with  bne  roh  col, 
and  patch  pockets;  V-neck  cotton  blouses;  short.  wide  pants  wrap  skirts 
with  cascading  ruffles  in  silk  and  cotton;  linen  apron  skirts;  draped 
dresses  that  fall  just  below  the  knee;  and  silk  trench  ccats.  Accessories, 
colored  boas  and  high  heels.  Fabrics:  chevron  tweed,  crepe  de  ci™  fine 
silks  and  black  chiffon.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallal. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1980 

Menswear  Jackets  with  notched  and  peaked  lapels,  a  low  gorge,  and 
slight  waist  suppression;  slightly  longer  jackets;  full-cut,  pleated  pants; 
coharless  shirts  with  thm  rolled  piping  around  the  neckband,  worn  with 
sportswear  as  well  as  tailored  clothing;  polo-collar  shirts;  wide  ties 
with  a  blue-and-white  pblka-dot  and  other  patterns;  harlequin-patterned 
sweaters;  and  earth-tone  quilted  leather  jackets.  The  collection  is 
inspired  by  American  cinema  of  the  1930s,  especially  by  Clark  Gable. 
Colors:  beige,  light  blue,  and  dark  blue.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 

Womenswear  Tailored  pantsuits;  round-shouldered,  smgle-button  jackets 
with  truncated  lapels  and  tailored  bustiers  in  cotton.  I.nen.  or  lightweight 
wool   some  with  bold  horizontal  stripes,  worn  over  ankle-length  skirts 
or  culottes;  close-fitting  knickers;  linen  pants;  roomy,  wide,  short  pants; 
blouses  with  ruffles  pulled  over  the  jacket  neckline;  four-color  T-shirts 
(blue,  violet,  sage  green,  and  toast)  with  shirred-linen  cap  sleeves;  and 
violet  and  gold  cotton  fan-shaped  strapless  tops,  worn  over  violet  shorts. 
Eveningwear:  strapless  "tuxedo"  dresses.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


FALL/WINTER    1979-80 

Menswear  "Clark  Gable"  jackets  with  wide,  low  lapels  and  the  gorge 
at  m,d-breast.  worn  with  wider  ties;  vests  In  tie-pattern  knitted  fabrics; 
pointed  shirt  collars;  fuller,  draping  pants;  h,gh-waisted  pleated  pants  with 
fabric  belts;  leather  jackets,  bomber  jackets,  and  trench  coats;  tuxedos; 
and  double-breasted  formalwear.  The  collection  returns  to  a  more  classic 
style  with  broad  shoulders  and  a  slim  silhouette.  Fabrics:  soft  flannels, 
pure  cashmeres,  vicuna  and  alpaca,  rough  tweeds,  smooth  velvets, 
corduroys,  fine  silks,  pinstripes,  and  fur.  Colors:  neutral,  including 
tobacco,  brown,  slate  gray,  ocher.  olive  green,  black,  and  dark  blue. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Tailored  suits  comprised  of  wide-shouldered,  gathered 
jackets  with  smgle-button  closures;  asymmetrical  jackets-longer  at  the 
back-with  a  single  button  at  the  bottom  and  a  low  gorge;  cardigans; 
wide  pants  with  pleats  at  the  waist;  straight,  knee-length  skirts;  striped 
silk  shirts  tied  at  the  neck  with  a  fabric  rose;  rain  jackets  with  four  small 
zippers  in  place  of  pockets;  and  black  crocodile-print  coats  and  jackets 
with  high,  slightly  gathered  collars.  Accessories:  felt  hats  and  high  heels^ 
Fabrics-  bird's-eye  tweeds  and  Prince  of  Wales  plaids.  Colors:  lacquer  red. 
emerald  green,  blue,  violet,  black,  orange,  and  gray.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


FALL/WINTER    1980-81 

Menswear  Leaner  cut.  with  more  distinct  waist  suppression,  narrow  hips, 
sloping  shoulder  line,  low  gorge,  and  wide  lapels;  asymmetrical  details, 
especially  In  shirts  and  outerwear;  sweaters  with  jacquard  *»«ns: 
straight  pants,  tapered  toward  the  cuff;  long  trench  coats,  short  blousons. 
and  belted  car  coats  in  cashmere  and  camel  hair;  and  raincoats  with  fur 
collars  Fabncs:  two-tone  twills,  miniature  patterns,  bird's-eye.  four-tone 
twists,  and  muted  plaids.  Colors:  brown  and  tan  for  outerwear  and 
accessories.  Eveningwear:  soft  pants  worn  with  classic  jackets  vests, 
shirts,  and  bow  Ilea.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fal  a, . 
Womenswear  Large  jackets  w,th  asymmetrical  lapels,  worn  over  knickers 
In  suede,  velvet,  or  nubby  wool;  close-fitting,  linear  leather  jackets  with 
asymmetrical  closings;  classic  tapered  pants;  s,de-pleated  pants;  cu  fed 
skirts;  and  sheared  furs,  including  a  slim,  asymmetrical  coat  in  amethyst 
sheared  mink  and  a  sleek  belted  trench  coat  In  graphite-colore sheared 
beaver.  Fabncs:  geometric  mega  stripes,  diagonals,  checks.  an tweeds. 
Colors:  saffron,  persimmon,  jade,  cinnamon,  and  chma  blue.  «» 
black  and  white,  neutral  grays,  and  earth  tones.  Eveningwear:  fitted  black 
jackets  w,th  one-sided  closmgs;  black-and-white-striped  skirts  gathered 
at  the  waist;  and  soft  pants  worn  with  classic  jackets,  vests,  shirts, 
bow  ties.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1981 

Menswear   Suits  with  a  less  sharply  defined  waist,  trimmer  tailoring, 
and  bold  patterns,  such  as  herringbone  in  two-tone  combinations;  dress 
shirts  with  strong  stripes;  cotton  baseball-style  shirts;  kimono-sleeve 
shirts  with  full  back  yokes  in  both  short-  and  long-sleeve  styles;  colored 
suede  polo-neck  shirts  with  knit  collars  and  cuffs;  jodhpur-style  and  side- 
buckled  pants  in  cotton  or  colored  leather;  boxer-type  shorts  with  self-belt 
and  elasticized  cinch-waist  treatments;  knitwear  in  bold  patterns  and 
graphic  stripings;  belted  blousons  in  both  leather  and  cotton  with  flat 
epaulets  and  the  new  GA  eagle  logo;  outerwear  strongly  influenced  by 
military  styles.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Very  long  jackets  worn  with  wide,  corsetlike  belts;  shorter, 
boxy,  collarless  jackets  with  no  buttons;  jackets  with  kimonolike  sleeves, 

slightly  lower  shoulders,  and  short  Chinese  collars;  few  skirts,  and  many 

types  of  pants,  including  bloomers,  drawstring  Bermuda  shorts,  culottes. 

knickers,  jodhpurs,  and  Zouave  and  harem  pants.  Fabrics:  wide  stripes; 

rich  weaves;  tapestrylike  prints;  cotton  moire;  printed  wool  gabardine; 

linen  in  gray  and  havana;  and  ribbed  and  chalkstriped  kid  leather  in  gray, 

oxblood,  emerald  green,  periwinkle,  golden  yellow,  and  terra-cotta. 

Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1982 

Menswear   Elongated  jackets;  pants  cut  close  to  the  leg;  pants  and 
shorts  with  rolled-over  waists;  gaucho-style  pants  gathered  at  mid-calf 
or  just  below  the  knee;  geometrically  patterned  sweaters;  hooded 
sweatshirts  in  flyweight  suede;  tunic-length  shirts  worn  with  vests;  and 
an  Australian  stockman-style  caped  raincoat.  The  collection  features 
Indian.  Australian,  and  American  influences,  favoring  functionality  and 
simplicity.  Details:  asymmetrical  closings,  dropped  armholes,  and  stand-up 
collars.  Accessories:  brightly  colored  felt  hats.  Fabrics:  linen;  and  leather 
and  suede  combinations.  Colors:  vivid  or  deadened.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 

Womenswear   Long  classic  and  cardiganlike  jackets  with  wide  shoulders 
softened  by  shirring  and  gathering;  square,  waist-length  jackets  with 
soft  shoulders  and  a  vest  pattern  in  front;  gathered,  pleated,  or  tubular 
pants;  short  Bermuda  shorts;  long  or  short  gathered  or  pleated  skirts; 
and  wide,  low-waisted  shirts  with  sashes  that  tie  at  the  hips.  Colors: 
bright:  geranium  pink  with  mint  green  and  black,  vermilion  red  with 
turquoise  and  jade  green,  lacquer  red  with  black  and  salmon  pink, 
sunflower  yellow  with  steel  gray,  indigo  blue  with  red  and  turquoise, 
peacock  green  with  fuchsia.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by 
Bob  Krieger. 


FALL/WINTER     1981-82 

Menswear  Suits  with  defined  shoulders,  wide  lapels,  and  a  lower  button 
stance   in  bold  three-dimensional  chalkstriped  twill,  worn  with  patterned 
shirts  and  ties;  plaid  sports  jackets  in  neutral  colors  (beige,  brown,  and 
gray  with  mustard,  forest  green,  and  blue-gray);  uncreased  pants  with 
narrow  hips,  full  thighs,  and  narrow  legs  (as  in  flight  pants  and  jodhpurs) 
in  heavy  cotton  twill,  corduroy,  gabardine,  and  leather;  shirts  with  band 
collars;  and  military-influenced  hooded  vests,  parkas  with  parachute 
straps  and  duffel  coats  with  asymmetrical  closures,  button  throat 
latches,  and  quilting.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai 
Womenswear  Japanese-style  line  of  silk  and  leather  garments;  long  black 
velvet  blazers  with  slits  at  the  hips  and  cotton  satin  fronts;  jackets  with 
rounded  shoulders  and  parallel  double  stitching;  pencil-cut  pants;  large, 
rounded-hem  culottes;  short  pleated  skirts;  shirt  dresses  with  straight 
shoulders;  and  three-quarter-length  Andean-style  coats  made  of  two  large 
rectangles  of  fabric,  one  of  which  is  thrown  over  the  shoulder  like  a  shawl. 
Fabrics:  wide-wale  corduroy,  jacquard  tweed  chine  with  patch  designs, 
wool  satin,  silks,  trompe-l"oeil  prints,  and  Scottish  plaids.  Colors:  lacquer 
red.  bright  yellow,  and  China  blue.  Even.ngwear:  quilted  and  stitched  satin 
and  velvet  robes  with  kimono  necklines,  worn  with  ob.-l.ke  sashes  and 
short  culottes.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


FALL/WINTER    1982-83 

Menswear  High-waisted  pants;  sports  pants  in  poplin  and  canvas;  shirts 
in  heavier-weight  double  cotton,  flannel-like  cotton,  jacquard  fabrics,  and 
gabardine;  balmacaan  raincoats;  bomber  jackets,  toggle  coats,  blousons. 
and  parkas  in  distressed  leather  with  mottled  surfaces;  and  synthetic 
teddy-bear-pile  anoraks  and  blousons.  The  collection  is  influenced  by 
Steven  Spielberg's  Raiders  of  the  Lost  Ark.  Shapes  are  boxy  with  big 
shoulders.  Fabr.cs:  heavy  upholstery-style  suitings,  novelty  wools,  and 
macro  tweeds.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Suits  comprised  of  long  jackets  and  ankle-length  pants 
broad-shouldered,  wide-striped  jackets  and  ankle-length  pants,  or  vestl.ke 
jackets  with  gathered  stripes  on  the  shoulders  and  gathered  skirts; 
brightly  colored  hooded  sweatshirts  in  lightweight  suede;  gaucho-style 
pants  gathered  at  mid-calf  or  just  below  the  knee;  and  long-sleeve 
blouses  that  wrap  diagonally  at  the  front.  Fabr.cs:  woo.  velvet.  P^ded 
hnen   silk,  and  cotton  sateen.  Eveningwear:  black  silk  pants  and  matching 
collarless  sh.rts  with  lame  fronts  and  gold  lame  jackets;  eveningwear 
accessories:  flat  boots,  hats,  and  high  heels.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1983 

Menswear  Broad-shouldered  jackets;  fishermen's  jackets  and  vests  worn 
with  narrow,  cropped  ties;  dress  shirts  with  rolling  and  reversing  collars; 
lumberjack  plaid  camp  shirts;  narrower  plain-front,  box-pleated,  or  single- 
pleated  pants;  belted  blousons  with  large  horizontal  and  vertical  zippers; 
and  outerwear  with  camping-style  details  such  as  flap  and  bellow  pockets, 
zipper-closing  pockets,  and  snap  and  placket  zipper  closings.  Fabrics: 
polished  cotton,  wool  crepe  in  lumberjack  plaids,  poplins,  doeskin  cotton, 
linen,  and  micro-pinwale  corduroy.  Colors:  gray/brown  and  chamois/ 
charcoal  combinations,  with  black,  white,  tan.  blue  gray,  and  chocolate 
brown  predominating.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Elegant  day  suits  with  below-the-knee  and  calf-length  skirts; 
single-  and  double-breasted  crew-neck  jackets  cropped  at  the  waist,  with 
slightly  rounded  shoulders;  tapered  pants,  front-pleated  or  with  three 
pleats  on  each  side,  front  and  back;  and  simple  shirts.  Fabrics:  traditional 
English,  including  Prince  of  Wales  plaid,  bird's-eye.  camel  hair,  cashmere, 
alpaca,  vicuna,  and  leather.  Colors:  red.  white,  black,  tans,  beiges,  and 
sand,  with  turquoise,  pink,  ivory,  and  peacock  green.  Eveningwear:  black 
velvet,  embroidered  satin,  and  tiger  prints;  deep,  low-cut  necklines;  and 
amphora-shaped  skirts.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1984 

Menswear  Single-  and  double-breasted  suits;  tapered  jackets  with 
side  vents,  wide  lapels,  and  broad,  sloping  shoulders;  wide-collar  plaid 
blousons;  striped  sweaters;  vests;  leather  blousons  worn  with  colored 
leather  pants;  blousons  worn  with  Bermuda  shorts;  pants  worn  with 
suspenders;  pants  rolled  up  to  the  knee;  oversized  shirts,  some  with  tab 
collars,  some  collarless  (including  baseball  shirts);  long,  loose  raincoats; 
and  striated  ties.  The  collection  is  inspired  by  the  1940s.  Fabrics:  linens, 
cottons,  and  lightweight  wool.  Patterns:  mixed  plaids;  small  checks;  and 
heathered.  striated,  and  chine  effects.  Colors:  gray,  brown,  light  blue, 
and  yellow.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Casual,  masculine  jackets  with  loose-falling  lapels; 
side-buttoned  linen  jackets  with  hip  panels;  polka-dot  jackets  worn  with 
pants  and  long  overskirts;  silk  bomber  jackets  with  matching  skirts 
worn  over  black  pants;  full,  striped  pants;  black-and-white  quilted  cotton 
checkerboard  pants;  long,  wrap-front  skirts;  collarless  blouses;  midriff- 
baring  bra  tops;  dresses  with  side  drapings;  and  light  coats  with  a  draped 
single  lapel.  Fabrics:  moire  organza,  satins,  cottons,  and  linens.  Colors: 
smoky  tones  mixed  with  beige  and  gray;  dark  blue;  and  black. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Gianpaolo  Barbieri. 


FALL/WINTER    1983-84 

Menswear  Jackets  with  a  higher  gorge  and  notably  higher  notch 
placement;  loose-fitting  pants  with  single-  and  double-inverted  and 
sewn-down  pleats;  patterned  sweaters;  brushed  cotton  shirts;  printed 
leather  jackets;  and  ties  with  large-scale  patterns.  Outerwear  is  big- 
collared  and  beefy,  influenced  by  steamer  and  balmacaan  coats, 
including  leather  or  heavy  cotton  jackets  with  fur  collars.  Fabrics:  velvet, 
broken-twill  patterns,  and  bird's-eye  tweed  for  jackets  and  coats;  flannel 
and  brilhantine  for  shirts;  and  damask  for  ties.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 

Womenswear   Suits  with  loose,  oversized  jackets  and  straight  or  bias-cut 
skirts;  suits  with  wide-shouldered,  tuniclike,  collarless  jackets,  buttoned 
at  the  back,  and  slim,  straight  skirts  or  short,  softly  tapered  pants;  single- 
breasted  white  jackets;  loose  knitwear  jackets;  wide,  classic  pants;  full, 
checked  dresses;  gray-and-black-checked  coats;  and  long,  wide-shouldered 
trench  and  duster  coats.  Accessories:  high  heels.  Eveningwear:  long, 
collarless,  V-shaped  shirts,  long  straight  skirts,  vests,  and  undershirts 
in  fine  crepe  silk,  panne  velvet,  satin,  chiffon,  organza,  and  flocked  tulle. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Gianpaolo  Barbieri. 


FALL/WINTER    1984-85 

Menswear  Scaled-up.  baggier  suits  and  jackets  with  wider  peaked  lapels 
and  padded  shoulders;  pants  with  an  updated  Zoot-suit  look;  slouchy 
sweaters;  box-pleated  pants  with  wide,  unpressed  legs;  collarless 
shearling  blousons;  and  bold-textured  overcoats  with  dropped  armholes. 
Fabrics:  herringbones  in  different  scales  with  either  high-contrast  or  low- 
contrast  yarns,  basket-weave  and  window-pane  plaids,  bold  twills,  and 
ombreed  stripes;  contrasting  textures  are  used  together.  Colors:  gray, 
black,  and  white  mixed  in  subtle  Nordic  patterns.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 

Womenswear  Loose,  comfortable  suits  comprised  of  oversized  jackets 
worn  with  exaggeratedly  full  pants;  traditional  jackets  with  very  flat  lapels; 
overalls  worn  under  jackets;  knee-length  skirts  with  soft  side  ties;  clean, 
flat-collar  shirts,  often  with  snap  closures;  knit  tops;  embossed  leather 
coats;  sheepskin  jackets  and  reptile-print  coats  with  velvet  collars;  and 
brightly  colored  coats.  Fabrics:  natural  and  casual,  with  an  emphasis  on 
pattern  and  texture,  including  stripes,  jacquard  prints  with  floral  motifs, 
and  herringbone  velvet.  Colors:  slate,  stone,  brown,  metal  gray,  and 
occasional  bright  tones.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1985 

Menswear   Low-gorge,  high-notch,  four-button  single-  and  double-breasted 
suits,  worn  with  wide  ties  and  sneakers;  droopy,  crumpled  long  jackets 
with  single-button  closures  and  side  vents;  blousons  tucked  into  pants; 
tailored  sports  jackets  and  blazers  worn  with  shorts;  Bermuda  and  very 
short  shorts  worn  with  long  white  socks;  beach  pants;  and  leather 
jackets.  Fabrics:  wool  and  cotton  crepes;  striated  linens;  and  small-scale 
and  tonally  patterned  wools.  Colors:  neutral,  with  accents  of  sea  blue, 
purple,  and  apricot.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear   Long,  collarless,  cuffed  jackets  with  strong  shoulders  and 
hip-hugging  men's  jackets,  worn  over  shaped  skirts  or  crepe,  linen,  or  silk 
pants  tailored  like  jeans;  detachable  collars;  vests;  loose  pants;  short 
skirts,  including  wrap  skirts;  boxer  shorts;  sarongs  tied  over  Bermuda 
shorts;  long,  slightly  military-style  coats;  and  trench  coats.  Accessories: 
high-heeled  shoes  with  plastic  sides  and  leather  points.  Fabrics:  cottons, 
silks  (including  Thai  silks  screened  with  vegetable  dyes),  and  Prince  of 
Wales  and  Scottish  plaid.  Colors:  inspired  by  Henri  Matisse,  with  tones 
of  ruby  and  brown,  ruby  and  blue,  purples,  shamrock  green,  and  cobalt 
blue.  Eveningwear:  sequined  sweaters.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1986 

Menswear   Sports  jackets  in  semi-crepe  linen,  wool  crepe,  or  crepon; 
pale  tan  suede  shirtjackets;  knitwear  in  two-tone  marled  yarns;  band-collar 
shirts  in  homespun  jacquard;  square-collar,  pajama-style  shirts  in  cotton 
jacquard;  brightly  colored  silk  crepe  and  cotton/viscose  knit  T-shirts;  and 
bell-collar  spring  coats  in  black  and  white  viscose  crepe.  Fabrics:  denim 
blue  and  marron  brown  batik  patterns  printed  on  jersey  for  T-shirts  and 
on  woven  cotton  for  pants  and  shorts.  Colors:  low-contrast  palette, 
including  charcoal,  manilla,  black,  white,  and  olive.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 

Womenswear  Wide-shouldered  masculine  jackets,  single-button  blazers 
with  stitched  notched  collars,  and  curve-shaped  jackets,  all  worn  over 
T-shirts;  Bermuda  suits  with  round-collar,  concealed-closure  jackets;  long 
wrap  and  layered  organza  and  chiffon  skirts;  full  crinoline  skirts; 
collarless.  V-shaped  shirts;  and  long  coats.  Fabrics:  crepon,  cashmere, 
silks,  linen,  and  chiffon,  with  batik  prints.  Colors:  grays,  beige,  pink, 
fuchsia,  dark  blue,  and  black.  Eveningwear:  sequined  and  embroidered 
padded  jackets;  collarless  sequined  jackets  with  square  pockets  and 
concealed  closures;  and  black  1930s-style  skirts  with  apron  construction; 
all  worn  with  high  heels.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


FALL/WINTER    1985-86 

Menswear  Tight-fitting  silhouette,  with  wide,  sharp  shoulders  and 
extremely  tapered  chest  and  hips;  high-notch  tailored  jackets  with  knit 
cuffs;  easy-fitting,  black-belted,  shirred-yoke  jackets;  roll-collar  and  wide- 
collar  sweaters;  sports  pants  with  elasticized  waists,  inspired  by  1930s 
ski  wear-  gathered  jodhpurs  with  lacing;  long  plaid  shirts  reminiscent 
of  nineteenth-century  nightshirts;  blousons  in  Shetland  plaids;  leather 
blousons  with  very  wide  waistbands;  duster  coats  in  crinkled  nylon;  p.le 
overcoats;  belted  navy  gabardine  coats;  car  coats;  and  cropped  trench 
coats.  Fabrics:  Shetland  wools,  wools  in  marled  solids,  complex  tweeds, 
and  tan  leather.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Jackets  with  strong,  square  shoulders,  cropped  and  fitted  at 
the  waist;  long,  single-button  blazers  without  lapels;  double-breasted 
jackets,  cropped  at  the  waist,  with  wide  lapels;  four-pocket  safari  jackets 
with  or  without  collars;  shirt-style  blousons  with  soft,  rounded  shoulders; 
sweater  jackets;  cavalry-style  pants  in  featherweight  cotton  gabardine; 
loose,  double-pleated  pants;  full,  knee-length  sk.rts  worn  w.th  buttonless 
padded  tops,  tapered  at  the  waist;  and  blouses  that  are  draped  in  front 
or  "scarfed"  around  the  neck.  Fabrics:  tweed,  plaids,  gabardine,  cashmere, 
silks,  and  lace.  Colors:  pink,  black,  white,  and  brown.  Advertising 
campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


FALL/WINTER    1986-87 

Menswear   Marled  wool  crepe  suits  worn  with  wool  terry  sweatshirts; 
full-cut  pants;  polo-collar  sweaters;  hooded  bomber  jackets  in  silver- 
colored  viscose;  and  taupe  viscose  double-breasted  coats.  Fabrics: 
Prince  of  Wales  plaid  crepes,  herringbones,  and  cavalry  twill.  Advertising 
campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 

Womenswear  Single-button  blazers  with  stitched,  notched  collars;  curve- 
shaped  jackets  worn  over  longer  matching  T-sh.rts;  short,  close-f.tt.ng 
jackets;  card.ganlike  or  oversized  jackets  worn  over  calf-length  wrap  skirts 
or  crepon  pants;  wrap  sk.rts  in  printed  silk;  full-flaring  dresses;  camel-hair 
coats  worn  over  calf-length  dresses  or  short  tunics;  checked  or  Scotch 
pla.d  housecoats  and  long  trench  coats;  and  soft,  oversized  coats  worn 
over  slim  wool  pants.  Fabrics:  geometric-printed  silks,  jacquard  wools, 
and  crepes.  Eveningwear:  long,  slender,  loose-fitting  gowns  and  pants 
and  cardigans;  fabrics  include  silks  printed  w.th  Chinese  designs 
black  wool  dotted  w.th  black  beads,  tooled  lace,  and  prints  overla.d 
with  rhinestone-studded  tulle.  Advert.sing  campaign:  photographs 
by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1987 

Menswear  Suits  with  padded  but  not  exaggerated  shoulders  and  roomy 
pants,  worn  with  scarflike  ties;  and  sportswear  with  a  "back  to  basics 
feel,  including  kn.twear  with  classic  jacquard  designs  in  bold  but  faded 
colors  Fabrics:  silk  or  cotton  woven  with  glossy  fibers,  raw  silk,  linen/ 
viscose  blends,  wool  crepe,  washed  cottons  with  surface  patterns.  Prince 
of  Wales  plaid  wools,  and  worsteds.  Colors:  cool  mineral  shades,  such  as 
sand  and  ferrous  tones.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear   Loose,  masculine  jackets  worn  over  body-tight  lingerie; 
jackets  with  a  more  traditional  shaping;  and  full-flare  and  semicircular 
skirts.  Details:  overlock  trimmings,  scalloped  hems,  grosgra.n  borders, 
silk  cord  edging,  and  satin  lapels.  Accessories:  short  mesh  gloves. 
Fabrics:  paper-weight  tweeds,  soft  wool  gauzes,  downy  silks,  and  prints. 
Evenmgwear:  veiled  lace  skirts;  short  white  organdy  jackets;  long, 
robel.ke  gowns;  and  silk  jumpsuits  and  pajamas.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1988 

Menswear  Single-breasted  jackets  with  wide  peaked  lapels  and  a  looser 
silhouette;  fitted  jackets;  broad-shouldered  jackets  worn  with  drawstring 
pants;  full,  high-waisted  pants;  and  knee-length  Bermuda  shorts. 
Fabrics:  solid  or  patterned,  in  traditional  weaves  using  blended  fibers, 
such  as  silk  and  linen  with  a  viscose  thread.  Colors:  pastels,  tans,  grays, 
beige,  musky  browns,  and  neutrals.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs 

by  Aldo  Fallai. 

Womenswear  Jackets  with  delicately  padded  shoulders;  short  jackets 
nipped  at  the  waist  and  flaired  at  the  hips;  jackets  with  curved  lapels; 
high-waisted  pants;  classic  pants  worn  with  polo  shirts;  short  and  floor- 
length  divided  skirts;  tulip-shaped  skirts;  long  Bermuda  shorts;  scallop- 
neck  and  high-neck  blouses;  and  V-neck  shirts  with  side  closures 
emphasized  by  large  flowers.  Accessories:  silk  flower  belts.  Fabrics: 
silk  tweed,  silk  chiffon,  linen,  rayon  crepe,  silk  and  rayon  knits,  silk 
crepe,  crepon.  chiffon,  jacquard.  tulle,  and  taffeta.  Patterns:  country 
florals,  tartans,  and  gypsy-inspired  prints.  Eveningwear:  full  skirts  with 
elasticized  waists;  sheaths  knotted  in  the  back;  and  pouf-skirt  dresses 
worn  with  full-length  skirts  beneath.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs 
by  Aldo  Fallai. 


FALL/WINTER    1987-88 

Menswear  High-gorge,  mid-notch,  four-  and  six-button  pinstriped  suits 
with  broader  lapels;  tapered  jackets;  single-pleated  pants;  monochromatic 
suit  ensembles;  funnel-neck  collars  worn  under  suits;  zipper-neck  and 
loose-roll  turtlenecks;  long  leather  jackets;  full.  A-line  topcoats  with  no 
shoulder  pads;  broad-shouldered  topcoats  with  tapering  bodies;  and 
shearling  coats.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Soft-shouldered,  figure-molding  jackets  worn  with  long, 
double-faced  crepe  georgette  skirts;  deep-gorged  vests  worn  under 
matching  jackets;  knee-length  skirts  and  pants  with  unpressed.  turned- 
under  hems;  soft,  high-neck  blouses  with  grosgram  edges;  blouses  with 
flat,  bias-cut  collars;  and  single-  and  double-breasted  coats  that  simulate 
overlong  jackets  or  are  seamed  at  the  waist  and  slightly  flared  at  the 
bottom.  Details:  rolled  piping,  braided  closures,  matching-fabric  buttons, 
and  thinly  bellowed  pockets.  Colors:  beiges  and  grays,  eggplant,  brown, 
military  green,  and.  for  evening,  dark  brown.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


FALL/WINTER    1988-89 

Menswear  Suits  with  shortened  jackets  and  very  full  pants;  formal 
suits  worn  with  waistcoats,  suspenders,  and/or  colorful  shirts  with  bold 
patterns;  drapey.  elongated  jackets  worn  over  pencil-thin  pants;  double- 
breasted  blazers;  double-breasted  sports  jackets  worn  unbuttoned;  plaid 
suits  and  sports  jackets  worn  with  plaid  flannel  work  shirts;  slim  leather 
jackets;  short  sweaters  with  velvet  finishes  in  indistinct  colors;  piled- 
fleece  athletic  pants;  and  solid-color  wool  velvet  overcoats  with  large, 
rounded  lapels  and  checkered  linings.  Fabrics:  knitwear  for  suits;  wool 
tweeds;  brushed  cottons;  napped  and  plushed  wools;  camel  hair;  cotton 
chamois;  corduroy;  and  crinkled  wools.  Tweeds  are  layered  with  brushed 
and  solid  suitings.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Draped-neck  and  cropped  jackets,  nipped  at  the  waist; 
vests;  band-hemmed  pants;  full,  mid-calf-length  skirts  with  draped  sashes 
at  the  waist;  and  beaded  bustiers  worn  with  contrasting,  paperbag- 
wa.sted.  full-length  skirts.  Evenmgwear,  inspired  by  India  and  the  Middle 
East:  short,  beaded  Zouave  jackets;  knee-length  skirts  with  matching 
sashes;  and  pants  worn  with  quilted  funnel-collar  jackets  tucked  into 
sashes.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1989 

Menswear   Soft  suits,  including  shorts  suits  with  long,  three-button 
jackets  and  full-cut  shorts  (many  in  knits);  cropped  jackets;  short-sleeve 
polo-neck  sweaters;  silk  shirts  with  jockey  stripes;  and  short,  wide  ties 
with  subtle  patterns.  Details:  rounded  pockets,  unstarched  collars,  and 
oversized  buttons.  Fabrics:  slightly  iridescent  silks;  linens  and  linen 
blends;  washed  silks;  cotton  and  silk  gabardine;  wool  crepes;  and  knits. 
Colors:  faded  tones,  hazy  blues,  and  frosty  grays,  with  mismatched  suits 
in  retro  grays  and  tans.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear   Double-breasted  pinstriped  jackets  with  matching  pants; 
light,  collarless  jackets  with  unpadded  shoulders;  wider,  rounded  pants 
(a  homage  to  couturier  Paul  Poiret);  longer  skirts;  and  simple  blouses. 
Accessories:  woven  shawls;  fabric  slippers  strapped  at  the  back;  and  hats. 
Fabrics:  traditional  and  exotic  fabrics  worn  together— such  as  viscose  and 
shantung,  or  checked  linen  tweeds  and  Turkish  prints.  Colors:  off-whites, 
muted  blues,  and  grays.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1990 

Menswear  Jackets  that  are  longer  than  fingertip  length,  with  long  shawl 
collars  and  rounded,  unpadded  shoulders;  Chinese  brocade  jackets; 
knit  vests;  sarongs;  hooded  shirts;  polka-dot  shirts;  short,  narrow  pants; 
and  striped  shorts.  The  collection  is  more  fitted  throughout,  with  narrowed 
shoulders  giving  an  elongated,  cylindrical  silhouette.  Fabrics:  richly 
patterned  (including  tie-dyed  and  camouflage  patterns)  and  softly  woven, 
with  strong  colors  and  unusual  matches.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 

Womenswear   Long  and  extra-long  jackets,  double-breasted  or  with  three 
buttons,  some  with  concealed  button  closures;  wide,  full  pants;  simple 
skirts;  and  loose-cut  blouses.  Fabrics:  raw  silk,  featherweight  wools, 
silk  etamines,  georgette,  and  grosgrain.  Colors:  spicy  tones,  as  well  as 
solid  ivory,  amethyst,  and  emerald  green.  Eveningwear:  lavishly  adorned 
dresses,  embroidered  and  beaded  with  stones  and  pearls,  reminiscent  of 
Russian  designer  Leon  Bakst's  costumes  for  the  Ballets  Russes. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Jacques  Olivar. 


FALL/WINTER    1989-90 

Menswear  Sack  suits  with  three-button,  single-breasted  jackets  and 
fuller,  looser  pants;  two-  and  six-button  double-breasted  jackets;  full-cut, 
pleated  pants  with  tapered  cuffs;  funnel-neck  shirts  and  shirtlike  sweaters 
with  patterns  in  tone-on-tone  colorings;  cashmere  sweaters;  vests  and 
cardigans  in  soft,  textured  fabrics  with  diffused  patterns;  trench  coats  in 
velour  and  tweed;  leopard-print  pile  jackets;  and  loose-fitting  coats  with 
large  collars.  Fabrics:  corduroy,  velveteen,  camel  hair,  chevron,  hard- 
finished  silk,  true  velvets,  jacquards,  soft  wools,  and  doeskin-like  cotton. 
Colors:  off-whites,  grays,  brown,  tan.  and  rust  tones,  with  rich  burgundy, 
blue  and  green.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Narrow,  wrapped  jackets  with  small  shoulders  and  defined 
waists;  blazers  with  patch  pockets,  either  oversized  and  masculine  and 
cut  like  cardigans,  or  ultrashort  and  fitted;  straight  and  loose  pants; 
overalls;  short  and  calf-length  skirts;  light  chiffon  blouses;  and  long, 
soft  coats.  Fabrics:  houndstooth.  doeskin-looking  silk,  old-fashioned 
goffered  silks,  padded  and  quilted  linen,  heavy  wool,  wool/silk  blends, 
velvet  grisaille,  flannel,  and  cashmere.  Colors:  amethyst,  fuchsia,  dark 
blue,  rosewood,  eggplant,  tangerine,  sage,  and  mustard  yellow,  as  well  as 
grays  and  neutral  sandy  and  earth  tones.  Eveningwear:  velvet,  silk,  chiffon, 
and  embroideries.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


FALL/WINTER    1990-91 

Menswear  Double-breasted  sack  suits  with  narrow  shawl  collars;  tonally 
coordinated  jackets  and  patterned  shirts,  worn  without  ties;  longer 
jackets,  fitted  at  the  waist,  with  unpadded  shoulders;  square-cut  vests; 
basket-weave  sweaters  worn  over  velveteen  pants;  leather  blousons;  four- 
and  six-button  coats  with  lance  lapels;  trench  coats  with  luxurious  linings; 
tapered  camel-hair  coats;  and  narrow  ties.  Fabrics:  velour.  velvets,  wool 
boucle,  lambs--wool  crepes,  brushed  cottons,  chenille,  cashmere,  suede 
treated  to  look  like  denim,  and  corduroy.  Colors:  gray,  dark  green,  and 
bronze.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  '-Avant-garde"  line:  unstructured  jackets  with  small 
shoulders,  raglan  sleeves,  and  a  soft,  round  shape  at  the  base;  short, 
straight  skirts;  masculine  shirts  with  mandarin  collars;  and  wild-mink  furs; 
fabrics  include  twilled  wool  and  tie-patterned  jacquards.  "Mongolian"  line: 
jackets  in  jacquards  and  quilted  textiles,  worn  w.th  slim  or  rounded  pants 
with  matching  fabric  boots;  full,  cinched  coats  with  draping  on  the 
shoulder  and  neckline;  and.  for  evening,  coats  and  tun.cs  w.th  damask 
satin  linings  w.th  qu.lted  gold  inlays.  "Chinese"  line:  longer  jackets  w.th 
rounded  hems,  worn  with  matching  pants;  deta.ls  include  embroidery 
braid  belts,  and  lame  insets;  fabrics  include  silver-  and  gold-printed  off- 
white  silk,  and  lace.  Advert.sing  campa.gn:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1991 

Menswear  S.ngle-  and  double-breasted  suits  made  of  natural  fibers 

TchTs  wools,  .mens,  and  silks  in  neutral  colors;  jackets  without  shoulder 

ads;  .cose  pants;  Bermuda  shorts;  full-cut  shirts;  and  leather  bomber 
and  bush  jackets.  The  collect.on  takes  its  msp.rat.on  from  cloth.ng  of 
the  1920s  1930s,  and  1940s.  Fabrics:  linen,  rag-like  Indian  cotton,  silk, 
and  striped  ram.e  in  rough  textures  and  open  weaves.  Advert.s.ng 
campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 

Womenswear  H.c-length  jackets  with  deep  rounded  vents  and  .ape  s 
that  are  extensions  of  the  garment;  long,  sl.m  pants,  often  without  tucks 
or  pleats;  men's  pants  cropped  into  shorts  in  lengths  from  six ^ches 
above  the  knee  and  up;  draped  dresses;  and  tank-top  and  T-shirt-shaped 
dresses  Fabrics:  jacquard  linens  and  crepes,  with  even.ngwear 
characterized  by  thick  embroidery.  Advert.sing  campa.gn:  photographs 

by  Aldo  Fallai. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1992 

Menswear  jackets  with  narrower  lapels,  a  slightly  lower  notch,  and  a 
loosened  boxier  silhouette;  stitched  cotton  round-neck  sweaters;  double- 
buttoned  band-collar  sh.rts;  scarves  and  vests  worn  w.thout  sh.rts. 
comfortable,  sl.m  pants  with  inverted  box  pleats;  and  overalls.  Fabr.cs: 
natural  and  cr.sp.  including  bird's-eye.  pinstripes,  twills,  micro  checks, 
gabardine,  etam.ne.  reed-matted  cottons,  crepelle.  and  grisaille.  Colors: 
cool  and  dyed  naturally,  including  deep-faded  blue.  gray,  and  burgundy. 
Eveningwear:  shawl-collar  white  dinner  jackets  worn  with  black  shorts. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 

Womenswear  Slender,  simple  jackets  with  high  kimono  sleeves,  softened 
shoulders,  and  concealed  closures;  jackets  worn  over  matching  dresses; 
pants-  short  sk.rts;  folkloric  bodices  and  vest  tops;  and  voluminous 
dresses  w.th  ruched  necklines.  Accessor.es:  straw  hats.  Fabrics:  tightly 
woven,  light,  and  brightly  colored,  with  embroidery  and  exotic  batik 
patterns.  Colors:  natural,  such  as  taupe,  gray,  and  off-white.  Advert.sing 
campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


FALL/WINTER    1991-92 

Menswear  Lightweight  suits  in  body-conscious  cuts;  slightly  elongated 
jackets  w,th  lightly  padded  shoulders,  a  higher  notch,  and  smaller  lapels; 
pants  that  are  fuller  at  the  thigh  and  taper  to  the  ankles;  qu.lted-sat.n 
vests  and  linings;  sh.rts  in  antique  bold  and  thin  striping,  polka  dots,  and 
tablecloth  checks,  in  rosewood,  p.nk.  wet  sand,  neutral  beiges,  browns, 
charcoal  grays,  and  blues;  hooded  sweaters  worn  w.th  overcoats;  and 
Navaho  Indian  blanket-patterned  outerwear.  Fabrics:  we.ght.er.  naturally 
brushed  and  textured  cloths,  including  Oxfords,  assorted  twills,  and 
spongy.  wr.nkled  crepes.  Patterns:  mini  checks,  classic  chevron,  and 
muted  Prince  of  Wales  plaids;  some  ensembles  combine  tartan  w.th 
blanket  stripes.  Eveningwear:  tuxedos,  including  one  w.th  a  burgundy 
jacket.  Advert.sing  campa.gn:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Long,  fitted  jackets,  some  w.th  h.gh  collars,  some 
collarless  w.th  a  high  button  stance;  short,  discreetly  slit  sk.rts;  dresses 
worn  over  shorts  or  short  sk.rts.  or  worn  as  coats;  and  volum.nous  coats 
with  attached  scarves.  Fabrics:  camel  hair,  double-faced  crepe,  gabard.ne, 
baby  alpaca,  and  soft  etam.nes.  Colors:  taupe,  caramel,  cocoa  brown, 
navy  wister.a.  amethyst,  rosewood,  coral  rose,  jade  green,  shock.ng  p.nk. 
geranium  red.  and  ind.go  blue.  Even.ngwear:  tuxedos  with  fem.n.ne  fabr.cs 
and  details.  Advert.s.ng  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 


FALL/WINTER    1992-93 

Menswear  Suits  with  long,  single-  and  double-breasted  jackets  with  wi  e 
lapels;  band-collar  jackets;  sweaters;  vests;  long  cardigans,  hopded  cotton 
and  leather  blousons  with  small  zippers;  loose  pants,  both  fu  l-cu :  and 
more  tapered;  w,de-collar  shirts;  car  coats,  raincoats  and  long  coats  wrth 
ultrawide  brown  and  burgundy  stripes;  and  plaid  and  striped  Ues.  Fabrics, 
tweeds  and  woolens.  Colors;  fuchsia,  burgundy,  dark  and  light  gray.  blue, 
and  taupe.  Advertising  campaign;  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Well-tailored,  constructed  jackets  with  soft  ^ouWers. 
cashmere  twin  sets  with  the  outer  piece  cut  like  a  man  s  card.gan,  pants. 
Knee-length  and  mid-calf  skirts;  long.  wide,  richly  colored  coats  in 
embossed  tricot;  and  mid-calf-length  coats.  Colors;  cream  '«^d  dark 
camel,  gray,  white,  and  black.  Eveningwear;  black-tie  tt*M« 
a  long  dress  with  a  pleated  bedice  recalling  a  man  s  formal  shirt,  an  off 
white  bodice  supported  by  a  trompe  l-oeil  undone  bow  be.  and  a  gown 
based  on  the  form  of  a  tuxedo  sleeve,  with  white  satin  edging  framing 
the  decolletage  to  resemble  a  giant  cuff  finished  with  formal  cuff  links, 
a  jeweled  bodice  worn  under  a  waistcoat  and  knitted  cardigan;  and 
tops  worn  over  pants  with  a  sash.  Advertising  campaign;  photographs 
by  Peter  Lindbergh. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1993 

Menswear  Double-breasted  jackets  with  lightly  padded  shoulders  and 
double  vents;  monochromatic  suit,  shirt,  and  tie  combinat.ons;  smock 
.ackets-  long  caftans  worn  over  tailored  pants  and  jackets;  full-cut  pants. 
Nehru-collar  sh.rts;  and  rug-patterned  ties.  Accessories:  bandanas  and 
berets  Fabrics;  seersucker,  treated  l.nen.  s.lk  blends,  reed-matt.ng 
cottons  paisley-printed  cottons,  embossed  crepons.  str.ped  s.lk  gauze, 
checked  homespun  linens,  str.ped  jacquards  twills,  and  novelty  weaves^ 
Patterns:  bat.ks  and  Senegalese  geometric  motifs.  Colors:  natural  be.ge 
tones  stone  gray,  and  slate  mixed  with  black  and  blue  shades  from  md.go 
o  na^  with  accents  of  faded  green,  garnet,  and  mustard.  Evenmgwear. 
whiteTackets  with  satin  shawl  collars  worn  over  black  pants.  Advertising 
campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  Lindbergh. 

Womenswear  Menswear-.nsp.red  jackets  worn  over  striped  s.lk  pajama 
pants-  jewel-trimmed,  tapered  pants  or  long  carouse,  skirts  worn  w.th 
shirts  or  vests  in  soft,  caftan.ike  fabrics;  and  apron.ike  skirts  worn  over 
penc.l-th.n  pants  with  colorful  Northern  African  trimmings.  Evenmgwean 
rong  colors  and  precious  fabrics  rem.n.scent  of  traditional  Turkish  and 
Moroccan  clothing;  Oriental  and  Polynesian  prints;  and  saronfr.nsp.red 
dresses.  Advert.s.ng  campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  L.ndbergh. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1994 

Menswear   Su.ts  with  soft,  slouchy.  broad-shouldered  jackets  w.th  a  h.gh 
notch  and  wide  lapels,  and  full,  double-pleated  pants;  six-buttoned  double- 
breasted  su.ts  with  a  wasp-wa.sted  silhouette;  single-breasted  jackets 
with  unpadded  shoulders;  long.  Chinese-collar  jackets  worn  w.th  loose 
pants-  Mao-collar  jackets;  printed  vests  worn  instead  of  sh.rts;  long  fine- 
gauge  knit  tops;  h.gh-colored  paisley  tunics  worn  with  vests  and  sweaters 
over  sarongs  or  pajama  pants;  football  pants;  linen  Bermuda  shorts; 
leather  jackets;  and  duster  coats.  Fabrics:  fluid  linens  and  cottons  w.th 

sophisticated  weaved  patterns.  Colors:  gray,  burgundy,  navy,  beige,  white. 

and  natural  tones.  Eveningwear:  white  tuxedo  jackets  w.th  shawl  collars. 

Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  Lindbergh. 

Womenswear   Suits  w.th  long,  loose  jackets  l.ke  soft,  drawstr.ng 

card.gans.  or  pajama  vests  w.th  buttoned  Chinese  collars,  or  coats  w.th 

vestlike  overlays;  wide  pants;  long  skirts  with  stitched  horizontal  stripes, 

and  peplum  dresses  and  sarongs  worn  over  pants.  Fabr.es:  raw  s.lk. 

waffled  gauffre.  jacquards.  gauze,  doubled  chiffon,  and  kn.t  meshes. 

Colors:  range  from  wh.te  to  sky  gray,  fl.ntstone  beige  to  bronze  browns. 

Advert.s.ng  campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  L.ndbergh. 


rCran,  small  armholas;  w,de  pants;  striped  shir* ££!& 

ow-pHe  velours,  and  surfaced  crepes.  Colors:  blues  grays  and  natural 

and  sweaters  worn  with  long  skirts  tnmmed  w,th  fringe s ^and la^ge 
by  Peter  Lindbergh. 


353 


'Led    nd  barkLke  wool  crepe,  tone-on-tone  boucle  and  tw.  lad  wools. 

points;  slim  pants,  slightly  bunched  on  the  *£™f  chen|lle, 

,ong  dresses;  and  leather  ^^^^"cotors:  warm 
gossamer  silks,  waffle-weave  mohairs,  an 8»u«  Advertising 

and  mellow,  remimscent  of  the  colors  used  by  pamter 
campaign;  photographs  by  Peter  L.ndbergh. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1995 

Menswear  Three-piece  suits  with  Nehru,  collarless,  or  very  narrow  band- 
collar  single-button,  wasp-waisted  jackets  worn  without  shirts;  pinstriped 
suits  worn  with  Nehru-collar  vests;  trench-coat-like  jackets;  full,  tapered 
pants;  flat-front,  high-waisted  pants;  large,  untucked  shirts  with 
comfortable  collars;  cardiganlike  shirts  with  drawstring  waists;  sarongs; 
and  unusually  shaped,  unlined.  fluid  ties.  Fabrics;  wool,  linen,  and  silk 
blended  with  acetates,  and  colored  suedes  and  leathers.  Colors:  cool 
tonalities  of  asphalt  gray.  lead,  steel,  blue-gray,  and  deep  and  very  dark 
blue.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  Lindbergh. 
Womenswear  Gently  flaring  Empire-line  jackets  worn  with  split-side 
shorts;  fitted  jackets;  jackets  with  bow  closures;  semitransparent  chiffon 
or  rayon  pants;  short,  filmy  skirts;  and  organza  or  georgette  smock 
dresses.  The  collection  has  a  more  traditionally  feminine  look. 
Accessories:  high  heels.  Fabrics:  light.  Colors:  soft  and  luminous. 
Evenmgwear:  characterized  by  glittering  beaded  embroideries,  exposed 
in  the  form  of  halter-neck  bodice  tops  or  veiled  as  a  sheath  layer  worn 
under  organza  tunics  and  skirts.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs 
by  Peter  Lindbergh. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1996 

Menswear  Single-breasted  suits  with  broad-shouldered,  wasp-waisted 
jackets;  broad-shouldered,  double-breasted  suits  with  tapered  waists; 
safari  jackets;  gathered  and  cropped  vests;  sweaters  worn  with  narrow 
belts  and  1940s-style  scarves;  1940s-style  double-pleated,  full  pants; 
long  raincoats;  and  wide  ties.  Fabrics:  suitings  with  ribbed  textures  and 
cotton/crepe/viscose  mixes  for  shirts.  Colors:  pale  yellow,  cream,  earthy 
greens,  khaki,  moss,  and  grays.  Evenmgwear:  Nehru  shirts;  and  elongated 
hourglass,  shawl-collar,  double-breasted  jackets.  Advertising  campaign: 
photographs  by  Peter  Lindbergh  and  Neil  Kirk. 
Womenswear  Short  jackets  with  fitted  waists  fastened  by  invisible 
zippers  or  large  buttons;  long  jackets;  jackets  structured  only  in  the 
shoulders;  wide,  straight  pants  with  or  without  pleats;  and  long  and 
knee-length  black  and  white  dresses.  Fabrics:  wool/silk  and  silk/viscose 
blends;  wool  crepe;  silk  jacquard;  and  jersey.  Colors:  black,  blue,  ivory, 
and  beige  tones  ranging  from  banana  or  very  light  pink  to  apricot  and 
powdered  rose.  Eveningwear:  two-piece  gowns  with  skirts  in  organza  with 
colored  inlays,  sequins,  and  embroidered  floral  designs  worn  with  small 
T-shirts  in  black  jersey  or  rigid  tops  with  plunging  necklines.  Advertising 
campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  Lindbergh  and  Neil  Kirk. 


FALL/WINTER     1995-96 

Menswear   Suits  with  jackets  with  pronounced,  padded  shoulders, 
precisely  cut  lapels,  and  tapered  waists  (often  accentuated  by  a  belt), 
and  straight-cut  pants;  sporty  suit  jackets;  masculine,  narrow-cut 
blousons;  close-fitting  knitwear;  wide-collar  shirts;  slim,  ankle-length 
pants;  knee-length  or  short-cut  coats;  and  wide  ties.  Accessories:  low- 
laced  boots.  Fabrics:  solid  with  novel  textures  and  weaves.  Colors: 
shades  of  gray  from  asphalt  and  lead  to  slate  and  fog.  Advertising 
campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  Lindbergh. 

Womenswear  Short,  straight-shouldered  jackets,  fitted  at  the  waist  and 
hips,  with  a  slight  flare  below;  bias-cut  pants  without  pleats;  long  skirts 
with  high  slits;  and  fitted  ankle-length  coats  with  velvet  lapels,  high 
collars,  and  quilted  silk  linings.  Fabrics:  smooth-surfaced  wools,  silk 
velvet,  damask,  crinkled  silks,  wool  crepe,  cady.  and  satin.  Colors: 
grayish  beige,  slate,  gun-metal  gray,  dark  brown,  and  black.  Eveningwear: 
a  tuxedo  with  a  Mao-collar  jacket  worn  over  a  low-cut  bustier;  body-hugging 
sheaths  in  black  or  skin-tone  stretch  tulle  with  embroidery  appliques;  and 
long  dresses  and  jackets  in  jacquard  silk,  embroidered  with  Chinese  floral 
motifs  in  pearls,  sequins,  and  beads,  all  in  evanescent  pastel  shades. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  Lindbergh. 


FALL/WINTER    1996-97 

Menswear  Fitted,  constructed,  double-breasted  jackets  with  wide  peaked 
lapels;  sweater  jackets;  rope-shouldered  jackets;  ski-style  jackets  with 
z.ppered  closings;  cigarette-cut,  cuffed  pants;  zippered  vests  and  shirts; 
waisted  shirts  w.th  small  or  large  collars;  leather  jackets  and  coats  with 
fur  collars;  minimalist  camel-hair  car  coats  with  zippered  closings;  slim 
coats  with  well-defined  waists;  and  Directoire-style  long,  narrow  coats. 
Fabrics:  crisp  and  smooth-surfaced.  Patterns:  chevron,  p.ed-de-poule. 
pinstripes,  checks,  and  Prince  of  Wales  plaids.  Colors:  black,  slate  gray, 
taupe,  sand,  earthy  Siena  brown,  rosewood,  aquamarine,  green,  teal, 
and  red.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  Lindbergh. 
Womenswear   Shapely  jackets  with  geometric  cuts;  short,  fitted  jackets; 
shirtjackets  like  kimonos;  slim  silk  pants;  full-length  skirts;  short,  flared 
skirts;  men-s  shirts  and  ties;  lightweight  coats  cut  like  long  jackets;  and 
short,  flared  coats.  Fabrics:  plisse  wools,  quilted  matelasse  velvet,  double 
crepes,  lace,  and  prints  on  black  backgrounds.  Eveningwear:  short  black 
dresses;  small  cardigans  w.th  ivory  and  ebony  embroideries;  black  velvet 
gowns  with  appliqued  red  roses;  and  black-and-white-striped  satin 
dresses.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  Lindbergh. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1997 

Menswear  Closely  fitted  jackets  with  sloping  shoulders,  fitted  "tailor- 
made"  sleeves,  and  narrow,  high  lapels;  gabardine  suits  with  cardigan- 
style  jackets;  zippered  vests  and  jackets;  ski-like  sweaters;  pants  with 
inverted  pleats  or  no  pleats,  often  with  slash  pockets;  fitted  shirts;  light 
leather  jackets;  and  narrow,  light  ties.  Fabrics:  natural  fibers  such  as 
wool,  silk,  cotton,  and  "beaten"  linen.  Colors:  luminous  grays,  putty, 
slate,  coffee-bean  brown,  and  black,  as  well  as  red,  fuchsia,  sage  green, 
aquamarine,  and  yellow.  Eveningwear:  black  and  white  double-breasted 
evening  jackets  with  shawl  collars,  and  tuxedos  worn  with  black  neck 
bands  instead  of  ties.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Peter 
Lindbergh  and  Paolo  Roversi. 

Womenswear  Buttonless  jackets;  fluid  kimono-cut  jackets;  duster-length 
shirtjackets;  straight,  cropped  pants;  deeply  slit  skirts;  and  dresses  with 
knitted  details,  discreet  transparencies,  and  spaghetti-strap  shoulders. 
Fabrics:  linen  and  silk  knits,  feather-light  shantung,  satin,  double  organza, 
quilted  matelasse,  and  linen  cady.  Colors:  gray  and  brown  tones,  as  well 
as  coral,  indigo  blue,  turquoise,  and  violet  (inspired  by  Anish  Kapoor). 
Eveningwear:  day  shapes  in  embroidered  tulle,  organza,  and  georgette. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  Lindbergh  and  Paolo  Roversi. 


t-L 


SPRING/SUMMER    1998 

Menswear   Longer  jackets  with  lightly  padded  shoulders,  concealed 
closures,  and  pockets  in  the  side  seams;  slim-fitting  sweaters  cut  low  at 
the  front  or  at  the  nape  of  the  neck,  some  sleeveless;  straight,  unpleated 
pants  that  fall  with  the  crease  pressed  into  the  turn-ups;  fitted  shirts  worn 
with  ties;  and  snug  or  loose  shirts  with  single-button  closings  at  the  neck 
or  on  the  chest,  contrasting  trims,  and  stylized  prints.  Fabrics:  light, 
pinstriped  jacquard  crepes,  honeycomb  weaves,  and  chevrons.  Colors: 
dark,  with  an  emphasis  on  navy,  brown,  indigo,  slate  gray,  and  racing 
green.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear   Jackets  with  lightly  padded  shoulders;  jackets  with 
pronounced  shoulders,  elongated  lapels  or  thin  shawl  collars,  and  a  single 
button  at  the  waist;  wide,  unpleated  pants;  and  knotted  scarves  or  ties 
worn  over  bare  skin  or  bodysuits.  Fabrics:  opaque  silk  shantung,  silks 
with  printed  stripes,  and  iridescent  silks.  Colors:  gold,  brown,  blue,  and 
green,  and  icy  hues  ranging  from  pearl  to  aquamarine.  Eveningwear:  calf- 
length  decollete  dresses;  transparent  shirtjackets;  and  short  embroidered 
jackets;  fabrics  include  embroidered  stylized  flower  or  dragonfly  patterns, 
and  organza,  solid-color  double  chiffon,  and  jacquard  organza  with  tone- 
on-tone  stripes.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Paolo  Roversi. 


a 


i 


FALL/WINTER    1997-98 

Menswear  Skinny  three-button  suits;  five-  and  six-button,  high-gorge 
jackets;  single-button,  low-gorge  jackets;  short,  form-fitting  jackets  with 
lightly  padded  shoulders,  narrow  lapels,  and  concealed  closures  or  single- 
button  fastenings;  form-fitting  sweaters;  pencil-thin  cuffed  pants  with 
shallow  pressed  pleats;  shirts  with  pronounced  collars  or  French  collars; 
leather  blousons  and  jackets;  suede  anoraks;  double-breasted  coats  w.th 
concealed  closures;  Directoire-style  coats;  ties  made  from  the  same  wool 
as  the  jacket;  and  scarves.  Fabrics:  cashmere,  camel  hair,  frosted  wool, 
stretch  jersey,  and  velvet.  Colors:  black,  navy  blue,  musk  green,  and  gray, 
with  touches  of  gold  and  China  blue.  Eveningwear:  velvet  jackets  and 
coats  with  velvet  lapels,  and  velvet  tuxedos  worn  over  black  shirts. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Paolo  Roversi. 
Womenswear  Pinstriped  suits  and  long  wool  topcoats  lined  with  gold 
velvet;  long  jackets;  straight,  ankle-length  pants  w.th  pressed  pleats; 
tracksuits  worn  with  shawls  and  capes;  mid.  skirts;  and  silk  jersey 
dresses  Fabrics:  wool  and  silk,  with  embossed  surfaces  and  geometric 
motifs  Colors:  dark  jewel  tones  and  saturated  neutrals.  Eveningwear:  long 
black  velvet  dresses  w.th  narrow  embroidered  borders;  scaled-down 
jackets  worn  with  nothing  underneath;  tops  cut  like  T-sh.rts;  and  floor- 
length  duster  coats.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Paolo  Rovers.. 


FALL/WINTER    1998-99 

Menswear   Classic  and  minimal  suits  with  traditional  patterns  from 
checks  to  pinstripes;  woven  jersey  jackets  and  blousons  w.th  small  lapels 
and  dropped  shoulders;  shawl-collar,  knee-length  coats  worn  with  matching 
worsted  pants;  funnel-collar  coats  with  concealed  placket  fronts  worn 
with  full-cut,  wide  pants;  shirts  with  concealed  closures,  stand-up  or  polo 
collars,  and  velvet  edgings;  leather  jackets  and  coats;  and  long,  military- 
style  trench  coats  and  reefer  jackets.  Fabrics:  luxury  wool  and  cashmere, 
with  complex  stitches  and  optical-effect  ribbing.  Eveningwear:  spencers 
worn  over  tucked  and  untucked  shirts  w.th  cummerbunds  and  pegged 
pants.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Aldo  Fallai. 
Womenswear  Slim,  lapel-less  jackets  w.th  concealed  s.de  fastenings; 
short  structured  jackets  w.th  defined  wa.sts  and  straight  shoulders; 
lightweight  knitwear  with  voluminous  shapes;  wide,  low-wa.sted  pants; 
long  straight  skirts;  long  dresses;  duster  coats;  and  long  overcoats  cut 
like  jackets.  Colors:  rosewood,  cloud  gray,  eggshell,  slate  gray,  black, 
and  green.  Eveningwear:  sweaters  with  Lurex  threads;  embroidered 
dresses  in  soft  and  luminous  colors;  simply  cut  jackets  w.th  embro.dered 
black  or  black-and-wh.te  beading;  and  long  skirts  with  trains  or  narrow 
hems,  f.n.shed  with  fine  embroidery  and  worn  with  skimpy  tops. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Paolo  Rovers.. 


SPRING/SUMMER    1999 

Menswear   Lightweight,  unlined,  high-notch  jackets  with  soft  shoulders, 
funnel  or  raised  collars,  and  narrow  lapels;  drop-waisted  pants;  Chinese 
cropped  shirts  and  pajamas;  shirts  with  snap  closures  and  concealed 
placket  fronts;  sheer,  band-collar,  widely  cut,  short  shirts;  sheer  shirts 
cut  like  T-shirts  with  a  draped  neckline  and  hood;  Nehru  dusters;  and 
minimal  leather  jackets.  Fabrics:  frosted  crepe  de  chine,  linens,  double- 
faced  silks  and  wools  in  dusty  shades,  ramie,  jersey-effect  silks,  and 
jacquard  crepon.  Colors:  gray,  green,  blue,  and  brown,  with  lilac,  jade, 
and  aquamarine.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Albert  Watson. 
Womenswear   Double  georgette  jackets  with  close-fitting  bodices;  light, 
deconstructed  shirtjackets  worn  like  cardigans;  cigarette-shaped  pants; 
and  ankle-length  skirts.  Fabrics:  silk,  linen,  shantung,  organza,  and 
georgette.  Colors:  pale,  pastel,  and  powdery  shades:  neutral  tones 
and  grays  are  coordinated  with  powdery  blues,  wisteria  green,  and  light 
purple.  Eveningwear:  long  dresses  embroidered  with  glass  beads;  tube 
shapes;  deep  decolletes  with  bare  shoulders;  and  fabrics  including  prints 
on  white,  gray,  and  aquamarine  silk  gauze,  with  iridescent  shocking  pink, 
mango,  and  orange-red  sequins  embroidered  in  Chinese-style  patterns. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Albert  Watson. 


SPRING/SUMMER    2000 

Menswear  Lean,  lightweight,  unconstructed,  single-breasted  jackets  with 
slim  shoulders,  narrow  lapels,  and  split  pockets  fastened  by  concealed 
zippers;  shirtjackets  with  Velcro  fastenings  at  the  neck  and  short  zippers 
hidden  at  the  waist;  "tracksuit"  suits  comprised  of  shirts  and  drawstring 
pants;  blouson-style  knit  shirts  in  lightweight  yarns,  cashmere,  or  hemp; 
wide-legged  pants;  and  duster  coats  with  waterproof  pockets  or  very  fine 
hoods  lined  in  net.  Sportswear  fabrics:  polyester,  cotton,  and  silk,  some 
with  tie-dyed  patterns.  Colors:  wisteria  and  rose-gray,  with  steel  gray 
predominating.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Ellen  Von  Unwerth. 
Womenswear   Small,  waist-length  jackets;  extra-long  jackets  without 
fastenings  or  with  mini  fastenings  at  the  waist;  shirtjackets  with  Velcro 
fastenings  at  the  neck;  transparent  quilted  vests;  tracksuit  pants  with 
elasticized  waists;  slender,  low-waisted  pants  worn  under  very  light  skirts 
shaped  like  flowers;  short  and  calf-length  asymmetrical  skirts  with 
zippers;  sarongs;  and  minimalist  bustiers  in  black  varnish.  Fabrics: 
patterns  inspired  by  Vasily  Kandinsky;  superfine  hemp  knitwear;  and  light, 
luminous  shining  silks,  plastered  cottons,  polished  linens,  and  wet-look 
chiffons.  Colors:  mauve,  lemon  yellow,  fuchsia,  pale  blue,  ice,  cloud  gray, 
and  black.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Ellen  Von  Unwerth. 


FALL/WINTER    1999-2000 

Menswear  Sober,  simple  jackets  with  straight-cut  fronts;  full-length 
jackets  with  miniature  lapels;  straight-cut  pants;  full,  low-rider  hip-hop 
pants;  snap  closings  and  concealed  placket  fronts;  shirts  cut  like 
sweaters,  with  high  collars  and  raglan  sleeves;  minimal  leather  jackets; 
knee-length  down  coats;  hooded  Chinese  car  coats;  hooded  sweater 
coats;  and  zipper-closure  leather  overcoats.  Fabrics:  double-face  textiles 
in  wool  and  innovate  blends.  Colors:  grays,  mud,  earth  brown,  and  moss 
green  as  well  as  red,  white,  and  yellow.  Eveningwear:  black  silk  velvet 
garments.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Ellen  Von  Unwerth. 
Womenswear   Short  jackets  with  large  kimono  sleeves;  jackets  cut  like 
Mughal  shirts;  hooded  sweaters;  tops  in  masculine  fabrics  worn  in  place 
of  jackets  and  sweaters;  tunics  worn  over  slim  pants;  men's  cotton  shirts 
worn  over  oversized  pants;  ultramini  tops  worn  with  pants  pleated  below 
the  knee;  ankle-length  skirts  with  low  waistbands;  and  duster  coats  in 
double-face  fabrics.  Fabrics:  high-tech  fiber  combinations  and  weaves. 
Colors:  English  pastels;  bright  green,  turquoise,  and  ruby;  neutrals  such 
as  putty,  mud,  dove  gray,  and  cold  brown;  and  black.  Eveningwear:  long 
dresses  with  neat  necklines;  pants  and  jackets  highlighted  with  light- 
catching  embroidery  applied  to  net  or  tulle  backgrounds  with  a  spider-web 
finish.  Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Ellen  Von  Unwerth. 


FALL/WINTER    2000-2001 

Menswear  Tailored  single  and  double-breasted  suits;  tapered,  high-gorge, 
narrow-lapel  jackets;  jackets  with  concealed  closures  or  zippers;  jackets 
with  asymmetrical  hook-and-eye  closures;  gathered,  ribbed  sweaters; 
fur  vests;  sleek,  narrow  pants;  sports  shirts;  narrow,  square-shouldered, 
textured  leather  jackets;  and  knee-length  coats.  Fabrics:  iridescent 
patterned  velvets,  tone-on-tone  printed  velvets  with  relief  effects,  and 
high-tech  wool/polyester  blends  with  a  washed  effect.  Colors:  iceberg 
gray,  polar  blue,  aquamarine,  frosted  lilac,  fog  white,  deep  sea  blue, 
and  reds.  Eveningwear:  velvet  tuxedos  with  concealed  Velcro-tab  closures. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  Lindbergh. 
Womenswear  Shaped  jackets  with  various  necklines  from  collarless  to 
novelty  lapels;  blouses  in  cut,  pleated,  or  folded  leather;  full  pants, 
undarted  but  snug  over  the  hips.  The  collection  features  sculpted  tailoring 
and  an  elongated  silhouette.  Fabrics:  floral-  and  geometric-printed  silk 
satin,  cashmere  knits,  velvets,  crocodile-embossed  leather,  and  wool  and 
silk  crepes.  Colors:  black,  midnight  blue,  and  forest  green  with  accents  of 
aquamarine,  amethyst,  jade,  and  garnet.  Eveningwear:  bead-embroidered 
mesh  bodysuits  worn  under  light  shirts  and  beaded  satin  trench  coats; 
and  mosaic-patterned  jackets  worn  with  embroidered  and  beaded  pants. 
Advertising  campaign:  photographs  by  Peter  Lindbergh. 


CHRONOLOGY 
by  Karole  Vail 


358 


1934-50 

Born  July  11,  1934,  on  Via  Colombo  in  the  Lupa  neighborhood  of 
Piacenza.  a  small  town  in  the  Pianura  Padana.  a  vast  misty  plain  near 
Milan,  Giorgio  Armani  is  the  second  child  and  second  son  of  Ugo  and 
Maria  Raimondi  Armani.  He  is  the  middle  brother  of  Sergio  and 
Rosanna.  who,  at  age  seventeen,  would  be  the  cover  girl  of  the  Italian 
magazine  Arianna;  a  second  sister  dies  when  she  is  three  months  old. 
Raised  in  a  humble,  but  close-knit  family,  Armani  attends  the  local 
public  school  in  Piacenza,  the  Liceo  Ottorino  Respighi.  His  father,  a 
theater  and  cinema  aficionado  and  a  soccer  player  on  his  home  team, 
is  an  employee  of  the  Fascist  party  in  Piacenza.  His  mother,  an 
attractive  woman  with  an  innate  sense  of  style,  makes  her  children 
well-tailored  clothes  from  parachute  material  and  military  uniforms;  she 
is  a  constant  inspiration  to  her  son.  Armani's  maternal  grandfather  is  a 
cabinetmaker,  and  his  paternal  grandfather  makes  wigs  for  the  Piacenza 
city  theater.  The  wig  shop  fascinates  Armani  and  introduces  him  to  the 
world  of  design,  color,  and  fantasy.  His  love  for  the  theater  develops 
while  he  is  still  a  boy,  and  he  and  his  brother  stage  puppet  shows  and 
plays  together.  His  passion  for  the  cinema  also  begins  when  he  is 
young;  the  first  film  he  sees  is  Alessandro  Blasetti's  La  Corona  di  ferro 
(The  Iron  Crown,  1941),  a  fascist  film  saga  in  the  style  of  Richard 
Wagner's  Nibelungenlied.  Over  the  years,  he  would  count  among  his 
favorite  films  Roberto  Rossellmi's  Roma  citta  aperta  (Rome,  Open  City, 
1946),  Alfred  Hitchcock's  Notorious  (1946),  Vittorio  De  Sica's  Ladri  di 
Biciclette  (The  Bicycle  Thief,  1948),  Billy  Wilder's  Witness  for  the 
Prosecution  (1957),  Bernardo  Bertolucci's  //  Conformista  (The 
Conformist,  1970),  and  Martin  Scorsese's  Taxi  Driver  (1976),  as  well  as 
Gene  Kelly's  musicals,  Danny  Kaye's  comedies,  and  Luchino  Visconti's 
movies.  At  age  eleven,  he  is  badly  burned  by  gunpowder  that  he  and 
some  friends  are  playing  with,  but  recovers  quickly.  At  the  end  of  World 
War  II,  Armani's  father  becomes  an  accountant  in  a  transport  company 
and  commutes  between  Piacenza  and  Milan,  until  the  family  moves 
permanently  to  Milan,  having  found  a  house  in  the  university  area  of 
Citta  Studi.  Armani  attends  the  Liceo  Scientifico  Leonardo  da  Vinci  in 
the  hopes  of  becoming  a  country  doctor,  in  the  spirit  of  the  hero  of  A. 
J.  Cronin's  novel  The  Citadel  (1937).  He  attends  medical  school  at  the 
Universita  di  Milano,  but  his  studies  are  interrupted  in  his  third  year, 
when  he  leaves  to  do  his  military  service  at  the  military  hospital  in 
Verona,  where  he  works  in  the  infirmary  for  invalid  civilians.  In  Verona, 
he  rarely  misses  the  operas  performed  in  the  town's  Roman 
amphitheater,  including  Giuseppe  Verdi's  Aida.  Deciding  that  a  medical 
career  is  not  well  suited  to  his  personality  and  in  need  of  earning  a 
living,  he  gives  up  his  studies. 


1951-56 

Modern  Italian  fashion  is  born  in  Florence,  due  to  the  efforts  of  the 
aristocrat  Giovan  Battista  Giorgini,  who  successfully  introduces  the 
first  fashion  presentations  by  such  designers  as  the  Fontana  sisters, 
Emilio  Pucci,  and  Simonetta  Visconti,  among  others,  to  American  buyers 
in  his  home.  As  Italy  emerges  from  the  devastation  of  World  War  II, 
remarkable  creativity  is  manifested  in  fashion— as  well  as  in  cinema 
and  industrial  design.  In  terms  of  fashion,  the  country  begins  to  usurp 
France,  which  had  monopolized  haute  couture  up  until  then.  The 
tradition  of  Italian  tailoring  and  excellent  handicraft  is  already  familiar 
to  the  American  public,  which  favors  practicality  and  simplicity  of  cut. 
Giorgini  encourages  the  young  Italian  fashion  houses  to  create  not  only 
alta  moda  (high  fashion)  collections,  but  also  boutique  and  pret-a-porter 
garments  that  are  "more  appropriate  to  everyday  elegance  and  the 
sensibilities  of  modern  women,  especially  American  women,  who  [are] 
understood  as  active  and  working.  It  is  these  collections  that  represent 
a  truly  new  departure  in  the  understanding  of  fashion  and  of  how  women 


dress."1  In  1952,  the  runway  presentations  are  held  in  the  Sala  Bianca 
at  the  Palazzo  Pitti,  where  they  will  continue  to  be  held  until  the  early 
1970s.  At  the  end  of  the  1950s,  Rome  will  begin  to  vie  with  Florence 
for  the  role  of  primary  podium  for  Italian  alta  moda,  and  Milan  will  start 
to  fortify  its  position  too,  due  to  the  influence  of  its  weekly  fashion 
magazine  Novita  (which  will  become  Vogue  Italia  in  1966).  Eventually. 
Milan  will  eclipse  its  Southern  rivals. 

1957-63 

Armani  accepts  a  job  as  an  assistant  photographer  at  the  department 
store  La  Rinascente  in  Milan.  At  the  time,  the  store  is  not  just  a 
business  establishment,  but  also  a  space  dedicated  to  cultural 
initiatives.  He  becomes  an  assistant  to  the  Milanese  architects 
(including  Giancarlo  Ortelli)  employed  by  La  Rinascente  to  travel  the 
world  in  order  to  select  quality  products  from  India.  Japan,  and  the 
United  States— countries  still  unfamiliar  to  the  ordinary  Italian— and 
exhibit  them  in  the  store.  Armani  takes  on  a  more  creative  role  in  the 
display  office  of  the  store,  dressing  the  windows  in  a  beautiful  and 
imaginative  way.  This  reminds  him  of  his  boyhood  theatrical  exploits 
with  his  brother.  His  enthusiasm  and  accomplishments  are  such  that 
he  is  transferred  to  the  Stile  Moda  Ufficio  (Office  of  Fashion  and  Style), 
where  he  coordinates  and  oversees  the  different  roles  of  the  menswear 
buyers.  He  learns  to  appreciate  the  importance  of  the  relationship 
between  salespeople  and  customers.  His  first  suggestion  is  to  import 
popular  yellow  English  sweaters  that  can  only  be  found  in  London, 
whose  fashion  scene  favors  the  younger  generation.  This  success 
encourages  him  to  import  other  unusual  items.  As  manufacturing  costs 
rise,  he  begins  to  look  for  clothes  that  are  not  as  costly  as  custom- 
tailored  garments,  but  which  at  the  same  time  do  not  look  machine- 
made.  While  visiting  a  manufacturer,  he  meets  the  eminent  designer 

Nino  Cerruti. 

He  travels  abroad  for  the  first  time,  visiting  Spam  and  France; 
in  particular,  he  enjoys  Antoni  Gaudi's  church  of  Sagrada  Familia  in 
Barcelona  and  the  atmosphere  in  Avignon. 

1964-65 

Interested  in  hiring  Armani,  Cerruti  asks  him  to  choose  some  fabric  as 
a  test.  Armani  passes  inspection,  opting  for  the  same  pinstripe  that 
Cerruti  favors,  and  he  begins  to  learn  about  fabrics  and  the  craft  of 
tailoring  from  the  designer.  Without  any  formal  training,  he  beg.ns  to 
design  a  new  line  of  knit-  and  shirtwear  for  Hitman,  Cerrut.'s  new 
menswear  line.  He  creates  perfect,  industrially  tailored  garments, 
a  paradox  in  the  1960s,  the  age  of  social  revolution,  at  which  time 
"Giorgini-and  with  h.m  the  majority  of  Italian  dressmakers-sensed 
that  haute  couture,  at  least  as  they  had  always  known  it.  was 
doomed."2 

1966—69 

Arman,  meets  Serg,o  Galeott,  at  La  Capannina.  a  club  at  the  fashionable 
seaside  resort  of  Forte  del  Marmi  on  the  Tuscan  coast.  Galeott,   an 
energetic  and  flamboyant  younger  man  from  Pietrasanta.  a  small  town 
on  the  coast,  becomes  his  collaborator  and  partner  ,n  life  and  work. 
A  designer  and  architectural  draftsman  who  works  for  the  Milanese 
architectural  firm  BBPR.  Galeott,  persuades  Armani  to  start  designing 
on  his  own.  He  proves  to  be  exceptionally  talented  in  understanding  and 
marketing  Armani's  clothes. 

1970-72  .      . 

At  the  Sala  Bianca.  Armani  presents  his  bomber  jackets  made  of 
leather,  treated  as  though  It  Is  fabric.  They  are  a  great  success  and 
beg,n  to  reverse  the  image  of  leather  that  has  been  held  until  this  time. 


To  Armani,  leather  is  una  seconda  pelle  (a  second  skin — although  pelle 
is  also  the  Italian  word  for  leather)  that  should  be  a  stable  and  lasting 
element  in  every  wardrobe.  Encouraged  by  Galeotti  and  his  business 
acumen.  Armani  leaves  his  stable  position  with  Cerruti  and  becomes 
a  freelance  fashion  designer  and  consultant  for  companies  such  as 
Allegri  (sportswear  and  raincoats).  Bagutta  (shirts).  Boulevard  (shirts). 
Hilton  (men's  suits).  Sicons  (leatherwear).  and  Spirito  (knitwear),  as 
well  as  continuing  to  consult  for  Hitman. 

1973-74 

Armani  and  Galeotti  move  into  a  small  office  at  Corso  Venezia  37.  In 
the  heart  of  Milan.  They  sell  everything  they  can— including  Armani's 
old  Volkswagen,  in  order  to  buy  a  table  and  a  few  lamps  as  well  as 
paint  for  the  new  office.  There  are  just  two  rooms,  one  for  business 
and  management  matters  handled  by  Galeotti.  and  one  for  Armani's 
designing.  They  employ  a  young  student,  Irene  Pantone,  to  help  them 
out;  she  is  still  with  the  company  today.  Besides  designing  for  several 
manufacturers,  Armani  styles  their  runway  shows  at  the  Sala  Bianca. 
For  Hitman,  Armani  juxtaposes  dissimilar  garments  that  somehow  blend 
together  and  play  with  a  newfound  freedom.  He  creates  a  voluntarily 
disordered  style,  with  the  shirt  unbuttoned  at  the  collar,  the  blazer  left 
open,  and  the  sweater  tucked  inside  the  pants. 

1975 

Together.  Galeotti  and  Armani  establish  their  own  company,  registering 
the  trademark  Giorgio  Armani  S.p.A.  on  July  24.  1975.  For  several 
years,  however.  Armani  continues  to  design  for  Allegri,  Bagutta.  Gibb, 
Hilton.  Hitman.  Loewe.  Montedoro.  Sicons.  Spirito.  Ungaro.  and 
Ermenegildo  Zegna.  as  well  as  for  Loewe.  a  Spanish  house.  Dissatisfied 
with  the  traditional  men's  jacket,  which  he  feels  does  not  flatter  the 
male  body,  Armani  creates  his  first  sartorial  innovation,  an  unlined 
and  unconstructed  jacket,  which  is  relaxed,  loose,  and  informal, 
allowing  sensual  hints  of  the  body  to  surface  casually  and  elegantly. 
He  is  one  of  the  very  few  designers  to  begin  with  menswear  instead  of 
womenswear.  The  unconstructed  jacket  marks  a  major  departure, 
a  revolution  of  sorts,  from  the  stuffy  jacket  popular  in  the  1970s, 
which  had  left  the  strange  sartorial  legacies  of  hippie  nonchalance 
and  over-dressy  clothes.  Arman.  senses  that  something  that  looks 
already  worn  and  not  absolutely  perfect  is  urgently  needed  in  fashion. 
His  unconstructed  jacket  conveys  a  way  of  dressing  up  that  looks  rather 
like  dressing  down,  as  if  it  had  been  miraculously  rescued  from  an  old 
suitcase.  Buttons  are  moved  down,  the  lapels  are  given  a  lower  notch, 
the  shoulders  are  sloped,  and  the  inner  structure  is  modified.  A  new 
breed  of  tailoring  is  born,  with  a  different  appearance  and  a  comfortable 
elegance,  which  Italian  men  quickly  adopt. 

Armani  shows  his  first  men's  collection  under  his  own  name 
(for  spring/summer  1976)  in  July.  Three  months  later  he  showsh.s 
first  women's  collection  (also  for  spring/summer  1976)  at  the  Ho  el 
Palace  in  Milan.  Responding  to  the  burgeoning  fem.nist  movement  and 
inspired  by  his  sister  Rosanna  and  her  girlfriends,  who  like  to  wear  their 
brothers'  jackets.  Arman,  creates  a  women's  jacket  that  proves  to  be 
an  immense  success;  made  with  traditional  menswear  fabrics,  it  .as 
simple  and  soft  as  the  one  Arman,  has  already  created  for  men  but 
scaled  down  in  size  and  bearing  a  certain  mascul.ne  author.ty.  Arman. 
adv  cates  an  easy  and  f.u.d  elegance  in  women  as  well  as  in  me.  He 
mancpates  women's  fashion,  just  as  Paul  Poiret  did  hy  eliminating 
corsets  and  constrictive  clothing  from  women  s  wardrobes. and i  a 
Gabnelle  "Coco"  Chanel  did  by  rendering  clothing  more  comfortable 
bv  s  o  tenmg  skirts  to  the  knee,  and  by  translating  menswear  elements 
to  worn  n     c'otnmg.  Arman.  Initiates  a  new  chapter  in  contemporary 
sh  on    n  roducnla  style  for  women  that  is  deeded,  mascul.ne.  and 


a  style  for  men  that  is  rather  more  feminine.  Characteristic  of  his 
approach  is  his  use  of  traditionally  feminine  fabrics  for  menswear  and 
menswear  fabrics  for  women. 

Armani  discovers  the  tiny,  rugged  volcanic  island  of  Pantelleria. 
situated  in  the  Mediterranean  sea  between  Sicily  and  Tunisia,  and 
purchases  a  small  vacation  house  there. 

1976-77 

Armani  moves  temporarily  to  an  office  in  Via  Santa  Cecilia  before 
settling  into  Palazzo  Durini  Caproni  di  Taliedo,  a  handsome  seventeenth- 
century  building  designed  by  architect  Francesco  Maria  Richini  and 
located  in  the  heart  of  Milan,  at  via  Durini  24.  The  principal  rooms  are 
decorated  with  mythological  and  allegorical  frescoes  by  Nuvoloni, 
Giuseppe  Maria  Crespi,  and  Schusters. 

The  Giorgio  Armani  label  is  introduced  to  the  U.S.  market  by  an 
enthusiastic  Fred  Pressman,  president  of  the  luxury  department  store 
Barney's  New  York. 

Spurred  on  by  an  invitation  from  L'Uomo  Vogue,  Armani  designs 
hypothetical  uniforms  for  the  Italian  military  based  on  comfortable 
sportswear.  The  collection  is  photographed  in  military  barracks  with 
the  collaboration  of  military  staff  and  presented  in  L'Uomo  Vogue  in 
June/July  1977. 

Armani's  fall/winter  1977-78  women's  collection  is  considered 
revolutionary  in  the  way  that  the  outfits  are  presented,  with  one  jacket 
worn  over  another:  a  wool  jacket  over  a  tweed  blazer,  a  leather  jacket 
over  a  canvas  jacket,  or  a  fabric  jacket  over  a  leather  jacket,  for 
example.  The  men's  collection  is  equally  revolutionary,  featuring  men's 
pants  constructed  without  pleats  and  waistcoats  worn  over  jackets. 

Armani  travels  to  the  island  of  Martinique. 

1978 

A  licensing  agreement  is  established  with  Gruppo  Finanziario  Tessile 
(GFT),  which  manufactures  and  distributes  the  Giorgio  Armani 
collections. 

Giorgio  Armani  Le  Collezioni,  a  less  expensive  line  for  men,  is 
launched. 

Introduced  in  the  fall/winter  1978-79  men's  collection,  the  Armani 
slouch— with  wide-wale  corduroy  and  baggy  bottom  pockets— penetrates 
the  youth  market.  In  womenswear,  Armani's  second  sartorial  innovation 
is  presented:  tapered  and  leanly  cut  jackets  with  varied  lapels  and  tiny 
pockets,  giving  a  broad-shouldered  and  slim-hipped  glamour  to  the 
"power  suit."  The  look  is  still  casual,  but  less  rumpled,  with  a 
nonchalance  suggesting  an  easy  assurance. 

At  the  Academy  Awards.  Diane  Keaton  wears  an  Armani  blazer  to 
collect  her  Best  Actress  award  for  her  performance  in  Woody  Allen's  film 
Annie  Hall. 

Armani  buys  a  house  in  the  seaside  Tuscan  resort  of  Forte  dei 
Marmi. 

1979 

The  Giorgio  Armani  Men's  Wear  Corporation  USA  is  established. 

Gabriella  Forte  joins  Giorgio  Armani  S.p.A.  as  vice  president;  she 
is  responsible  for  U.S.  operations,  the  company's  image,  press,  and 
marketing,  and  events  held  in  Armani's  name. 

Giorgio  Armani  Le  Collezioni  for  women  is  launched.  Mani,  also  a 
more  affordable  line,  is  launched.  The  Mani  men's  line  is  exclusive  to 
the  U.S.  and  Canadian  markets,  while  the  women's  line  is  available  in 
the  rest  of  the  world. 

Armani  is  awarded  the  Neiman  Marcus  Fashion  Award;  other 
Italians  to  have  been  presented  with  the  award  are  Missoni  in  1973 
and.  before  that.  Emilio  Pucci  and  Roberta  di  Camerino  in  the  1950s. 


1980 

A  licensing  agreement  is  signed  with  L'Oreal  (formerly  Helena 
Rubinstein)  for  the  creation  of  fragrances. 

Armani  decides  to  show  his  spring/summer  1981  collections  in 
his  palazzo,  rather  than  at  the  traditional  fashion  fair  in  Milan. 

Armani  wins  the  Cutty  Sark  Award  for  the  International  Top  Men's 
Fashion  Designer. 

He  designs  shirts,  suits,  and  ties  for  Italian-American  dancer  and 
choreographer  Louis  Falco's  ballet  Service  Compris  at  theaters  in  Milan 
and  Rome,  and  costumes  for  two  operas  directed  by  Luca  Ronconi  at 
La  Scala  in  Milan:  Arnold  Schonberg's  Er war tung  and  Richard  Strauss's 
Elektra. 

Following  the  success  of  his  films  Grease  and  Saturday  Night  Fever, 
John  Travolta  visits  Armani  to  choose  some  forty  suits  from  the 
designer's  collections  for  his  role  in  Paul  Schrader's  forthcoming  film 
American  Gigolo — but  it  is  instead  Richard  Gere  who  appears  in  the  film, 
which  also  stars  model  and  actress  Lauren  Hutton.  American  Gigolo 
ensures  Armani's  fame,  and  his  clothes  become  a  status  symbol  for  any 
young — or  not  so  young — man  who  wants  to  seduce. 

Armani  takes  Manhattan  by  storm,  hosting  the  White  Party  at 
Studio  54  to  celebrate  his  fall/winter  1980-81  collections.  In  the  April 
issue  of  L'Uomo  Vogue,  Mat  Serra.  general  merchandise  manager  of 
department  store  Saks  Fifth  Avenue,  hails  Armani  as  the  "Michelangelo 
of  fashion,"  claiming  that  he  has  created  a  perfect  silhouette  that 
everyone  wishes  to  emulate.  Italy  is  recognized  as  a  new  and  dynamic 
country  on  the  world's  stage,  its  position  symbolized  by  the  easy, 
elegant,  and  sober  style  of  Armani,  who  understands  the  sociological 
significance  of  fashion  and  its  power  of  communication.  As  the  1980s 
progress,  the  booming,  materialistic  era  comes  to  be  symbolized  by 
the  somewhat  austere  tailored  Armani  power  suit  for  men  and  women, 
defined  by  broad  padded  shoulders  and  wider  lapels,  inspired  by  the 
1940s  Hollywood  look. 

Andy  Warhol,  whose  novel  cable-television  programs  cover 
everything  from  haute  couture  to  punk,  features  an  interview  with 
Armani  by  Italian  journalist  Daniela  Morera  in  episode  three  of  his 
Andy  Warhol's  T.V.  series. 

1981 

Armani  Junior,  Emporio  Armani,  and  Armani  Jeans  are  launched  in  Italy 
and  subsequently  in  the  U.S.  Emporio  Armani  clothing  is  based  on  the 
same  stylistic  criteria  as  the  Giorgio  Armani  line,  but  is  more  affordably 
priced.  A  new  trademark  logo  for  jeans  and  T-shirts,  shoes,  and 
sportswear — an  imperial  eagle  with  Armani's  initials— is  introduced 
to  distinguish  and  protect  his  products  from  copies. 

The  first  Emporio  Armani  boutique  opens  in  Milan,  on  Via  Durini. 

The  fall/winter  1981-82  women's  collection  features  a  Japanese- 
style  line  inspired  by  Akira  Kurosawa's  1980  film  Kagemusha,  including 
shimmering  bustiers  influenced  by  the  protective  armor  worn  by  high- 
stationed  warriors  in  the  Heian  period  (ninth-tenth  centuries)  and  by 
samurai  as  late  as  the  end  of  the  nineteenth  century.  A  general  interest 
in  things  Japanese— including  Kabuki  theater,  traditional  Japanese 
prints,  and  modern  television  cartoons — pervades  Europe  and  New  York. 

Armani  wins  Gentleman's  Quarterly  magazine's  Men's  Style  Award 
for  Best  Fashion  Designer  and  the  Cutty  Sark  Award  for  the  International 
Top  Men's  Fashion  Designer. 

Warhol  paints  a  portrait  of  Armani. 

Armani  buys  land  on  Pantelleria,  at  Cala  Gadir,  a  small  fishing  port. 
His  property  encompasses  six  houses  in  a  style  typical  of  the  island; 
known  as  dammusi,  the  houses  are  made  of  volcanic  rock  laid  with 
earth  and  water  and  have  white  cupola  roofs.  After  being  refurbished  by 
architect  Gabriella  Giuntoli,  they  comprise  guest  quarters,  a  living/dining 


complex,  and  Armani's  own  simple  and  elegant  villa.  Palm  trees,  capers, 
oleanders,  lavender  and  rosemary  bushes,  cacti,  hibiscus,  roses,  and 
pomegranate,  orange,  and  olive  trees  on  the  property  produce  a 
wonderful  array  of  color  and  scent. 

1982 

In  April,  Armani  becomes  the  first  fashion  designer  since  Christian  Dior 
in  the  1940s— and  the  only  other  Italian  besides  Nobel  Prize-winning 
playwright  Luigi  Pirandello— to  appear  on  the  cover  of  Time  magazine. 
Inside  is  an  eight-page  color  spread  with  text  by  screenwriter  Jay  Cocks. 
The  piece  is  published  during  the  same  week  that  the  pret-a-porter 
collections  are  presented  in  Paris,  which  the  French  take  as  a  personal 
affront  to  their  sartorial  prestige.  Cocks  lightly  rebuffs  Pierre  Berge, 
partner  and  protector  of  Yves  Saint  Laurent,  who  challenges,  "Give  me 
one  piece  of  clothing,  one  fashion  statement  that  Armani  has  made  that 
has  truly  influenced  the  world,"  by  listing  Armani's  achievements:  "The 
unstructured  jacket.  An  easeful  elegance  without  stricture.  Tailoring  of 
a  kind  thought  possible  only  when  done  by  hand.  The  layering  of  fabrics 
by  pattern,  texture  and  color.  Surprising  combinations  of  garments- 
leather  pants  as  part  of  a  suit,  a  long  jacket  over  foreshortened  slacks, 
a  vest  worn  over  a  coat— that  scramble  cliches  and  conventions  into  a 
new  and  effortless  redefinition  of  a  style.  A  functional  celebration  of 
fabric.  A  reshaping  of  traditional  geometry  with  witty  contours,  sudden 
symmetries  and  startling  vectors.  A  new  sort  of  freedom  in  clothes. 
An  ease,  the  Armani  ease."3  He  quotes  Grace  Mirabella.  editor  of 
Vogue,  who  describes  Armani's  approach  as  "style  without  excessive 
design."  and  American  designer  Bill  Blass.  who  calls  him  a  "genius  for 

his  time."4 

Armani  moves  his  offices  to  Via  Borgonuovo  21  in  Milan.  From  this 
time,  most  of  his  runway  shows  will  be  presented  in  a  theater  located 

here. 

During  French  fashion  week  in  Paris.  Armani  attends  a  launch  party 
for  his  first  women's  fragrance,  simply  named  Armani  Donna. 

Emporio  Armani  underwear,  swimwear.  and  accessories  for  men  and 

women  are  launched. 

Armani  is  awarded  the  Fil  d'Or  at  the  Festival  International  du  L.n 
in  Paris;  the  Ambrogino  d'Oro  from  the  municipality  of  Milan;  and  the 
Leone  d'Oro  from  the  Lions'  Club  in  Piacenza.  his  native  city. 

Armani's  work  is  included  in  Intimate  Architecture:  Contemporary 
Clothing  Design,  an  exhibition  at  M.I.T.  in  Cambridge.  Massachusetts, 
that  presents  historical  and  aesthetic  forms  interpreted  by  fashion 
designers.  The  exhibition  represents  a  broader  interest  in  fashion  as  a 
metaphorical  eye  for  scrutinizing  contemporary  culture. 

Milanese  publisher  Franco  Maria  Ricci  issues  a  handsome  volume 
on  Armani,  with  biographical  texts  by  Arturo  Carlo  Qu.ntavalle.  Richard 
de  Combray.  and  Anna  P.aggi.  The  book  includes  over  one  hundred  hand- 
colored  drawings  on  black  paper  by  Armani  that  document  his 
collections  to  that  time;  together,  they  record  the  development  of  his 
style  and  the  growth  of  his  identity  through  the  fashion  seasons. 

Arman.  donates  a  collection  of  his  drawings  to  the  Univers.ta  di 
Parma,  whose  fashion  archives  contains  over  50,000  original  drawings 
by  major  Italian  designers. 

Armani  acquires  Villa  Rivara.  a  country  house  bu.lt  in  the  1950s  in 
an  eighteenth-century  style,  located  in  Cigognola  near  Brom  in  the 
province  of  Pavia.  Arman.  h.res  Giancar.o  Ortelli.  who  has  designed 
many  of  Armani's  boutiques  around  the  world,  to  renovate  the  house. 

1983 

The  Giorgio  Armani  Fashion  Corporation  is  created  in  order  to  oversee 
the  distribution  of  all  Giorgio  Armani  products  in  the  U.S.  (superced.ng 
the  Giorgio  Armani  Men's  Wear  Corporation  U.S.A.). 


The  first  Giorgio  Armani  boutique  opens,  on  Via  Sant'Andrea 
in  Milan. 

Armani  is  honored  with  a  gold  medal  from  the  municipality  of 
Piacenza;  the  Fil  d'Or  at  the  Festival  International  du  Lin  in  Pans; 
and  the  Council  of  Fashion  Designers  of  America  Award  for  Best 
International  Designer. 

1984 

The  first  Emporio  Armani  advertising  billboard  makes  its  appearance  in 
Milan,  at  the  crossroads  of  Via  Broletto.  Via  Cusani.  Via  dell'Orso.  and 
Via  Ponte  Vetero.  The  first  image  features  four  slouching  young  men 
wearing  similar  unconstructed  suits,  casually  reading  newspapers. 
Subsequent  images  include  landscapes  and  scenes  of  everyday  life  in 
Milan,  workmen.  Armani's  Volkswagen.  Africa  and  the  tropics,  and  young 
couples.  Another  billboard  greets  passengers  at  Milan's  Linate  Airport, 
welcoming  visitors  to  the  Italian  fashion  capital. 

A  Giorgio  Armani  boutique  opens  in  New  York,  at  815  Madison 
Avenue  and  68th  Street. 

Armani,  the  designer's  first  fragrance  for  men.  is  launched. 
Armani  wins  the  Occhio  d'Oro  for  Best  Designer,  Spring/Summer 
Collections;  and  the  Cutty  Sark  Award  for  the  International  Top  Men's 
Fashion  Designer. 

He  contributes  the  wardrobe  for  actors  Willem  Dafoe  in  Walter  Hill's 
film  Streets  of  Fire  and  most  of  the  wardrobe  for  Don  Johnson  and  Philip 
Thomas  in  the  television  show  Miami  Vice. 

Armani  designs  the  uniforms  for  Italy's  top  American-style  football 
teams,  the  Frogs  and  the  Seamen. 

1985 

Together  with  fashion  designers  Emanuel  Ungaro  and  Valentino.  Armani 
presents  his  fall/winter  1985-86  women's  collection  at  a  benefit  for  the 
Italian  Red  Cross  at  the  Castello  di  Rivoli.  near  Turin. 

He  becomes  the  first  Designer  Laureate  of  the  Cutty  Sark  Men's 
Fashion  Awards  and  is  awarded  the  Commendatore  dell'Ord.ne  al  Mer.to 
della  Repubblica  by  the  Italian  government. 

Giorgio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Patrick  Bauchau.  Jennifer 
Connelly,  and  Donald  Pleasence  in  Dar.o  Argento's  film  Phenomena 
(Creepers);  Catherine  Deneuve  in  Mario  Monicell.'s  Speriamo  che  sia 
femmina  (Let's  Hope  It's  a  Girl);  and  Ariane  in  Michael  Cimino's  Year  of 

the  Dragon. 

Armani  participates  in  Fashion  Aid.  a  benefit  against  hunger 
organized  by  Bob  Geldorf  in  London.  (He  is  the  only  Italian  fashion 
designer  invited  to  do  so.) 

Several  of  Armani's  jackets  are  included  in  Italia:  II  Genio  della 
Moda,  an  exhibition  that  narrates  the  story  of  Italian  fashion  from  the 
1950s  to  the  1980s,  presented  during  the  Milanese  trade  fair  Grande 

Fiera  di  Aprile.  »..-..«♦ 

After  a  few  years  of  ill  health,  Galeott.  dies  of  cancer  in  August. 
Contrary  to  all  expectations.  Arman.  not  only  continues  to  design  all  of 
his  collections,  but  successfully  takes  over  the  business  s.de  of  the 

company  as  well. 

American  architect  Peter  Marino  designs  Arman,  s  home  at  Via 
Borgonuovo  21.  With  furnishings  by  French  designer  Jean-M.chel  Frank. 

1986 

A  Giorgio  Armani  boutique  opens  in  Paris. 

Armani  hires  socialite  Lee  Radziwill  as  his  special  events 

^rmam  Is  honored  with  the  Grand'Ufficale  dell'Ordine  a,  Mento 
de„a  Repubblica.  Italy's  highest  government  award.  He  also ,  wins   , 
Cutty  SarK  Award  for  the  International  Top  Men's  Fashion  Designer,  the 


362 


Occhio  d'Oro  for  Best  Designer,  Spring/Summer  Collections;  and  the 
Occhiol.no  d'Oro  for  Best  Designer,  Fall/Winter  Collections. 

Giorgio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Maruschka  Detmers  in  Marco 
Bellocch.o-s  film  //  diavolo  ,n  corpo  (Devil  in  the  Flesh)  and  by  Harvey 
Ke.tel.  Stefan.a  Sandrelli.  and  Trudie  Styler  in  Giovanni  Soldat.  s  La 
Sposa  Americana. 

He  designs  the  uniforms  for  the  players  of  the  soccer  team  from 
Fogg.a.  a  small  town  south  of  Rome,  and  for  the  Italian  national  soccer 
team   the  Azzum.  for  the  World  Cup.  which  is  played  in  Mexico. 

He  designs  the  Notturno.  a  stylish  new  electronic  telephone 
commissioned  by  Italtel  Telematica.  a  private  Italian  telephone  company. 

At  the  Rufino  Tamayo  Museum  in  Mexico  City.  Armani  is  included  in 
Italia  1946-1986,  an  exhibition  featuring  fashion  and  industrial  and 
graphic  design  from  Italy. 

1987 

In  order  to  enter  the  Japanese  market.  Armani  establishes  a  joint 
venture  with  the  group  Itochu  to  promote  the  Giorgio  Armam  brand  and 
opens  three  Giorgio  Armani  boutiques  in  Tokyo. 

Giorgio  Armani  Calze  (hosiery)  and  Occhiali  (eyewear)  are  launched. 

Armani  is  awarded  the  Gran  Cavaliere  della  Repubblica  by  the 
Italian  government.  He  also  receives  the  Fil  d'Or  at  the  Festival 
International  du  L.n  in  Pans;  the  Council  of  Fashion  Designers  of 
America's  Lifetime  Achievement  Award  for  his  menswear;  the  Occhio 
d'Oro  for  Best  Designer.  Spring/Summer  Collections;  and  the  Cutty  Sark 
Award  for  the  International  Top  Men's  Fashion  Designer. 

Pope  John  Paul  II  commissions  Armani  to  design  a  new  cover  for 
the  evangelistary,  which  is  used  in  cathedrals  during  pontifical 
celebrations.  Armani  is  granted  an  audience  with  the  Pope  on  this 

occasion. 

Taking  his  cue  from  the  1930s,  but  remaining  faithful  to  his  own 
vision.  Armani  designs  selected  costumes  for  actors  Sean  Connery, 
Kevin  Costner.  Billy  Drago.  Andy  Garc.a.  and  Charles  Martin  Smith  in 
Brian  De  Palma's  film  The  Untouchables,  dressing  the  character  of  killer 
Frank  N.tt.  (Al  Capone's  right-hand  man.  played  by  Drago)  in  brilliant 
shades  of  white,  ice.  and  cream.  The  film  wins  an  Oscar  for  Best 

Costumes. 

Armani  participates  in  Una  vetrina  per  farte,  a  collaboration 
between  art  and  fashion  in  Milan's  Via  Sant'Andrea.  in  which  designers 
are  asked  to  exhibit  paintings  in  their  store  windows.  Armani  chooses 
Cesare  Viazzi's  Valchiria,  omaggio  a  Wagner,  a  homage  to  German 
composer  Richard  Wagner. 

Photographs  of  Armani's  work  are  included  in  Fotografia:  Immagine 
della  Moda  Italians,  presented  during  the  Salone  Internaz.onale  Cine 
Ott.ca  Fotografia  in  Milan.  The  exhibition  explores  the  relationship 
between  photography  and  the  cultural  politics  of  fashion,  through  the 
work  of  some  of  the  most  important  Italian  fashion  designers 
photographed  by  Richard  Avedon.  Aldo  Fallal.  Antonio  Mulas.  and 
Ol.v.ero  Toscani.  among  others.  His  work  is  also  included  in  Moda  Italia, 
an  exhibition  promoting  the  "Made  in  Italy"  label,  presented  at  Pier  88 
In  New  York;  and  in  Lo  stilista  e  ,  suo,  fotografi,  which  features  fashion 
shots  by  photographers  such  as  Avedon.  David  Bailey.  Fallal,  and  Bob 
Krieger.  held  at  the  Gallena  Civica  in  Suzzara.  near  Parma. 

Martin  Scorsese  shoots  the  first  television  commercial  for  the 
Emporio  Armani  line. 

1988 

Emporio  Armani  boutiques  open  in  New  York's  Flat.ron  district  and  in 
Florence.  Giorgio  Armani  boutiques  open  in  Turin.  Paris.  London.  Zurich. 
Saint  Moritz.  and  Nagoya.  Japan,  and  another  in  Tokyo.  Armani  also 
opens  a  Giorgio  Armani  boutique  on  Rodeo  Drive  in  Los  Angeles,  in 


conjunction  with  a  gala  at  the  Museum  of  Contemporary  Art.  He  invites 
Pat  Riley,  the  high-profile  coach  of  the  Los  Angeles  Lakers  basketball 
team  and  an  Armani  devotee,  to  wear  Giorgio  Armani  clothing  constantly 
in  the  public  eye.  Just  as  Italian  and  French  movie  stars  wore  clothes 
by  famous  fashion  designers  in  the  1950s.  Hollywood  actors  are  wooed 
to  wear  Armani's  clothes  at  the  Academy  Awards;  Michelle  Pfeiffer 
wears  a  long,  simple  skirt  and  jacket  with  silver  buttons,  and  the  rest 
of  Hollywood  will  soon  follow  suit  by  wearing  Armani  designs  to  the 

ceremonies. 

Armani  wins  the  Occhio  d'Oro  for  Best  Designer.  Spring/Summer 
and  Fall/Winter  Collections;  the  Cristobal  Balenciaga  award  for  best 
international  designer,  presented  by  King  Juan  Carlos  of  Spain;  and 
the  Media  Key  Award  for  an  Armani  fragrance  commercial  directed  by 

Martin  Scorsese. 

Giorgio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Anouk  Aimee  and  Ricky  Tognazzi 
in  Giorgio  Capitani's  film  Arrivederci  e  grazie. 

Giorgio  Armani  clothing  is  also  worn  by  the  Korean  musical 
orchestra  performing  at  the  Seoul  Olympics,  and  by  Italian  conductor 
Claudio  Abbado  and  the  musicians  of  the  Gustav  Mahler 
Jugendorchester  and  the  European  Community  Youth  Orchestra  during 
a  summer  European  tour. 

Armani  designs  the  new  uniforms  for  the  Carabinieri.  the  Italian 
police  force  with  military  and  civil  duties. 

1989 

The  Emporio  Armani  Gift  Collection,  comprised  of  fine  items  for  the 

home,  is  launched. 

The  French  fashion  house  Lanvin  asks  Armani  to  become  its 
creative  director,  a  position  he  declines. 

Armani  receives  the  Woolmark  Award  in  New  York;  the  Senken 
Award  in  Japan;  and  the  Pubblic.ta  e  Successo  in  Italy  for  an  Armani 
Jeans  commercial. 

Giorgio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Michael  Keaton  as  the  Bruce 
Wayne  character  in  Tim  Burton's  film  Batman. 

Armani  e  il  Cinema,  an  exhibition  exploring  Armani's  relationship 
with  the  cinema,  is  presented  in  Modena's  town  hall. 

Armani  travels  to  Kenya. 

1990 

A  Giorgio  Armani  boutique  opens  in  Palm  Beach.  Florida. 

Armani  presents  his  fall/winter  1991-92  women's  collection  at  the 
Museum  of  Contemporary  Art  in  Los  Angeles. 

Giorgio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Tom  Hanks  in  John  Patrick 
Shanley's  film  Joe  Versus  the  Volcano;  Rupert  Everett.  Helen  M.rren. 
Natasha  Richardson,  and  Christoper  Walken  in  Paul  Schrader's  The 
Comfort  of  Strangers;  Mickey  Rourke  in  Michael  C.m.no's  Desperate 
Hours;  Robin  Williams  in  Roger  Donaldson's  Cadillac  Man;  John  Cusack 
in  Stephen  Frears's  The  Grifters;  Tom  Cruise.  Nicole  Kidman,  and  Randy 
Quaid  in  Tony  Scott's  Days  of  Thunder;  Joanne  Whalley  in  Lewis 
Teague's  Navy  Seals;  and  Lauren  Bacall  in  Rob  Reiner's  Misery.  Armani 
also  contributes  the  wardrobes  for  Martin  Scorsese's  Goodfellas. 

He  designs  the  uniforms  for  the  Italian  national  soccer  team  for  the 
World  Cup.  which  is  played  in  Italy.  He  also  designs  T-shirts  for  taxi 
drivers  in  M.Ian,  and  clothing  for  Milan's  voluntary  ecological  officers. 

Armani  designs  the  Pierrot  figure  for  events  associated  with  the 
Carnevale  Ambrosiano.  the  annual  carnival  honoring  Milan's  patron 

saint.  . 

Giorgio  Armani:  Images  of  Man,  curated  by  Richard  Martin  and 
Harold  Koda.  Is  presented  at  the  Museum  of  the  Fashion  Institute  of 
Technology  in  New  York. 


1991 

The  first  A/X  Armani  Exchange  store  opens,  in  SoHo  in  New  York, 
offering  a  less  expensive  line  of  clothing.  Giorgio  Armani  boutiques  open 
in  Florence,  Barcelona,  Madrid,  Dusseldorf,  Munich,  and  Boston. 

Armani  is  awarded  an  honorary  doctorate  by  the  Royal  College  of 
Art  in  London  in  a  ceremony  at  the  Royal  Albert  Hall. 

Giorgio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Steve  Martin  and  Diane  Keaton 
in  Charles  Shyer's  film  Father  of  the  Bride;  Veronica  Hamel  in  Arthur 
Miller's  Taking  Care  of  Business;  Marisa  Paredes  in  Pedro  Almodovar's 
Tacones  Lejanos  (High  Heels);  Andie  MacDowell  and  John  Malkovich  in 
Michael  Lindsay-Hogg's  The  Object  of  Beauty,  and  Dianne  Wiest  in  Jodie 
Foster's  Little  Man  Tate. 

Armani  designs  the  uniforms  for  Alitalia's  female  flight  attendants 
and  ground  staff. 

Martin  Scorsese  and  Jay  Cocks  make  Made  in  Milan,  a 
documentary  on  Armani  and  his  work.  The  film  premieres  at  the  Venice 
Film  Festival. 

Armani  travels  to  Morocco. 

1992 

Giorgio  Armani  boutiques  open  in  Rome.  Brussels,  Osaka,  Taipei,  and 

Manhasset,  New  York. 

Gib,  a  new  women's  fragrance,  is  launched  with  a  party  at  Villa 
Rivara.  A  black-and-white  commercial  for  the  new  perfume  is  shot  by 

David  Lynch. 

He  presents  his  women's  and  men's  spring/summer  1993 
Le  Collezioni  line  at  the  newly  renovated  Solomon  R.  Guggenheim 
Museum  in  New  York,  where  a  retrospective  of  work  by  Minimalist  artist 
Dan  Flavin  is  on  view. 

In  Florence,  on  the  fortieth  anniversary  of  the  inauguration  of  the 
Sala  Bianca  fashion  shows.  Armani  is  awarded  the  Fiorino  d'Oro  by 
mayor  Giorgio  Morales  for  promoting  the  Made  in  Italy  image  throughout 
the  world.  Some  seventy  womenswear  and  twenty-five  menswear  items 
are  presented  in  a  special  exhibition  designed  by  Gae  Aulenti  in  the  Sala 
Bianca_the  same  place  that  Armani  showed  his  designs  in  the  late 

1960s. 

Armani  receives  the  Woolmark  Award  for  Best  New  International 
Men's  Collection  for  his  A/X  line;  the  Occhio  d'Oro  for  Best  Italian 
Designer  of  the  Year;  and  the  Accademia  del  Profumo  award  for  the  best 
Italian  print  and  television  advertising  campaign  in  1992. 

Giorgio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Richard  Gere  in  Phil  Joanou's 
film  Final  Analysis;  Helen  Hunt  in  Billy  Crystal's  Mr.  Saturday  Night; 
Andy  Garcia  in  Bruce  Robinson's  Jennifer  Eight;  Nick  Nolte  and  Susan 
Sarandon  in  George  Miller's  Lorenzo's  Oil;  Robert  De  Niro  in  Barry 
Primus's  Mistress;  and  Kevin  Costner  in  Mick  Jackson's  The  Bodyguard. 

Armani  acquires  a  country  house  in  the  hills  of  Sa.nt-Tropez.  on  the 
French  Riviera. 

1993 

Armani  receives  an  Honorary  Nomination  from  the  Accademia  d.  Brera 
in  Milan-  a  Golden  Eff.e  for  the  advertising  campaign  used  to  launch  h.s 
jeans  line  in  the  U.S.;  the  Aguja  de  Oro  Award  for  Best  Designer  of  the 
Year;  and  the  Telva  Triunfador  Award  for  the  Best  International  Designer 

of  the  Year.  , 

On  the  occasion  of  the  sixtieth  birthday  of  cartoon  character  Donald 
Duck.  Armani  designs  several  outfits  directed  to  a  younger  audience 
including  a  classic  double-breasted  suit,  slouchy  trousers  with  a  brightly 
colored  waistcoat,  a  grunge-.nspired  outfit,  and  a  guru-collar  shirt  and 

^^Giorgio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Lena  Ol.n  and  Richard  Gere  in 
Mike  Figgis's  film  Mr.  Jones;  Roberto  Ben.gni.  Claudia  Card.nale,  and 


Deborah  Farentmo  in  Blake  Edwards's  The  Son  of  the  Pink  Panther; 
Timothy  Hutton  in  Tom  Holland's  The  Temp;  Peter  Coyote  In  Pedro 
Almodovar's  Las  Una  del  Asesino;  Sean  Connery  in  Philip  Kaufman's 
Rising  Sun;  Rene  Russo  in  Wolfgang  Petersen's  In  the  Line  of  Fire; 
Alessandra  Martme  in  Claude  Lelouch's  Tout  ca  .  .  .  pour  ca!  (All 
That  .  .  .  for  This?!);  and  Christian  Slater  In  Tony  Scott's  True  Romance. 

Armani  designs  the  clothes  for  several  events  associated  with  the 
Todi  Festival,  a  summer  dance  and  music  festival  in  Todi.  Italy. 

He  underwrites  La  Nuova  Pittura  Cinese,  Passaggio  ad  Oriente,  an 
exhibition  of  contemporary  Chinese  painting  at  the  Venice  Biennale. 

He  makes  a  guest  appearance  on  the  NBC  television  show  Saturday 
Night  Live. 

1994 

Giorgio  Armani  boutiques  open  in  Bologna.  Geneva.  Dubai.  Seoul,  and 
Singapore.  An  Emporio  Armani  boutique  opens  in  Brussels. 

Gabriella  Forte,  who  has  been  Armani's  right  hand  for  over  fifteen 
years,  leaves  the  company.  Lee  Radziwill  resigns  as  Armani's  special 
events  coordinator. 

Armani  hosts  the  annual  Fire  and  Ice  Ball  in  Los  Angeles,  which 
benefits  the  Revlon/UCLA  Women's  Cancer  Research  Program,  and 
presents  his  spring/summer  1995  women's  collection  there. 

Armani  receives  the  Lifetime  Achievement  Award  for  the  Arts 
and  Fashion  given  by  the  National  Italian  American  Foundation  in 
Washington.  D.C..  and  the  Occhio  d'Oro  for  Best  Italian  Designer  of 

the  Year. 

Giorgio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Lauren  Bacall  in  Robert  Altman's 
film  Pret-a-Porter;  Donald  Sutherland  in  Stuart  Orme's  The  Puppet 
Masters;  Sylvester  Stallone  in  Luis  Llosa's  The  Specialist;  Bruce  Willis 
in  Richard  Rush's  Color  of  Night;  Nick  Nolte  in  Charles  Shyer's  /  Love 
Trouble;  and  Richard  Gere  in  Mark  Rydell's  Intersection.  Emporio  Armani 
clothing  is  worn  by  Tom  Sizemore  in  Oliver  Stone's  Natural  Born  Killers; 
Uma  Thurman  and  Ving  Rhames  in  Quentm  Tarantmo's  Pulp  Fiction;  and 
Patrick  Bruel  in  Claude  Zidi's  Profit  Bas  (Low  Profile). 

Emporio  Armani  clothing  is  also  worn  by  the  cast  of  Jonathan 
Miller's  production  of  Mozart's  Cosi  fan'  tutte  at  the  Royal  Opera  House 

in  London. 

Armani  designs  white  cotton  shirts  and  navy  wool  pants  for  the 
waiters  at  the  Gramercy  Park  Tavern  in  New  York,  and  a  formal  wardrobe 
for  the  Italian  national  soccer  team  on  the  occasion  of  the  World  Cup. 
which  is  played  in  the  U.S. 

Four  garments  created  by  Armani  between  1990  and  1994  are 
included  in  Orientalism;  Visions  of  the  East  in  Western  Dress,  an 
exhibition  at  the  Costume  Institute  of  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art. 
New  York.  The  exhibition  illustrates  Eastern  influences  on  Western 
fashion  trends  over  several  centuries. 

1995 

Acqua  di  Gib.  a  fragrance  for  women,  is  launched.  Giorgio  Armani 
Neve  (skiwear)  and  Giorgio  Armani  Golf  are  also  launched. 

The  first  Armani  Junior  boutique  opens,  in  M.Ian.  Giorgio  Armani 
boutiques  open  in  Sydney  and  Riyadh.  Saudi  Arabia,  and  another 

in  Tokyo. 

Armani  shows  his  fall/winter  1995-96  women's  collection  In  a 
former  factory  In  the  Ansaldo.  Milan,  an  industrial  area  that  is  tak.ng 
on  a  more  commercial  and  cultural  character. 

Arman,  receives  the  Together  for  Peace  Foundahon  Cultural  Award 
in  Rome-  the  Maschera  d'Oro.  Campione  d'ltalia  award;  and  the  Telva 
Triunfador  de  Belleza  Award  for  his  Acqua  d,  G,d  fragrance^  He ,U .also 
named  Designer  of  the  Year.  Best  Modern  Class.es.  by  Mane  CleveUK. 

As  part  of  Mm  Move.  Cnema  at  the  Martin-Grop.us-Bau.  Berlm. 


364 


Armani  curates  Arman,  *M  Dietrich,  an  exhibition  that  includes 
the  actress's  clothes-restored  by  Armen,-as  we.,  as  Arman,  s .own 
designs  The  exhibition  highlights  the  androgynous  aspects  of  their 
styles,  focusing  on  the  tuxedo,  suit  jacket,  and  w,de  trousers,  which 
have  defined  Armani's  look  through  the  years. 

Giorgio  Arman,  clothing  is  worn  by  Enrica  Antonioni.  John  Me.kov.ch. 
and  Sophie  Marceau  in  Michelangelo  Antonion,  and  Wim  Wonders  s  film 
Par-Dela  les  nuages  ^Beneath  the  Clouds);  Nicole  Garca  and  Mar.e 
Tr,nt,gnant  in  Nadine  Trintignanfs  Une  Fille  Galante;  Andy  Garca  ,n 
Andrew  Davis's  Steal  Big.  Steal  Uttle  and  in  Gary  Fleder's  Thing to  Do 
,n  Denver  When  You're  Dead;  Christian  Slater  in  Marc  Rocco  s  Mode 
1  the  First:  Christopher  Lambert  in  J.  F.  Lawton's  The  Hunted;  Antonio 
Banderas  and  Sylvester  Stallone  in  Richard  Donner's  ^sassrns. 
Marghenta  Buy  in  Mano  Monicelli's  Facciamo  Paradise;  Tom  Arnold  in 
Chris  Columbus's  Nine  Months:  Al  Pacno  in  Michael  Mann  *  He*. 
Annette  Bening  In  Rob  Reiner's  The  American  President,  Anjel.ce  Huston 
in  Sean  Penn's  The  Crossing  Guard:  Debra  Winger  in  Billy  C'ystels 
Forget  Pans;  and  Gabriel  Byrne  In  Bryan  Singer's  The  Usual  Suspects. 
Emporio  Armen,  clothing  Is  worn  by  Hugh  Grent  end  Julienne  Moore  .n 
Nine  Months.  Both  Giorg,o  Armeni  end  Emporio  Arman,  clothing  is  worn 
by  Steve  Martin  in  Charles  Shyer's  Father  of  the  Bride  Part  II 

A  long  beaded  dress  from  Armani's  spring/summer  1994  women  s 
collection  is  included  in  e  runwey  show  et  the  Romen  emphitheeterm 
Ceesene.  Israel,  es  pert  of  a  special  fashion  event  to  promote  peace. 

"man,  moves  his  press  and  styling  offices  to  Palazzo  Orslni^  at  Via 
Borgonuovo  11.  Milan.  The  Palazzo  Orsin,  was  bu.lt  at  the  end  of  the 
sixteenth  century  end  maintains  most  of  its  original  structure,   hough 
the  original  front  doors  ere  kept  at  the  Museo  Cvico  in  M.Ian  The 
oval-shaped  dressing  room  on  the  prano  nobile  was  decoreted  by 
Andree  App.en,  In  the  second  helf  of  the  eighteenth  century,  and 
architect  Luigl  Clerichett,  designed  the  fagede  in  the  m,d-n,nete :enth 
century  The  Renaissance  courtyard  is  exceptionally  beautiful,  and  the 
small  gerden  Is  contiguous  with  the  botanical  gerdens  on  Via  Brera. 
Armanis  administretive  offices  ere  loceted  ecross  the  street  et  number 
18.  He  reteins  his  home  et  Vie  Borgonuovo  21.  where  the  runwey 
theeter  end  studio  elso  reme.n. 

Armeni's  new  flagship  stpre.  designed  by  Peter  Marino  & 
Associates,  opens  in  New  York,  on  Madison  Avenue  at  Sixty-fifth  Street. 
Three  times  the  size  of  the  original  store,  it  is  finished  In  French 
limestone  and  ebonized  wood,  with  big  leather  and  suede  club  che.rs 
and  private  sitting  rooms  for  personal-shopping  appointments. 
Merchandise  includes  the  Giorgio  Armani.  Class.co.  and  Le  Collezioni 
lines  as  well  as  new  sk,  and  golf  clothing  lines.  To  celebrate  the 
opening,  he  hosts  a  party.  An  Evening  of  Mus.c  and  Style,  at  the 
Twenty-sixth  Street  Armory,  at  which  singer  Eric  Clapton,  flamenco 
dancer  Joaqu,n  Cortes,  and  the  bands  the  Fugees  end  the  Wellflowers 
give  e  concert.  Giorgio  Armani  boutiques  also  open  in  San  Franc.sco. 
Venice.  Brussels.  Jekerte.  end  Hong  Kong.  Empor.o  Arman,  bout.ques 
open  in  Barcelana  end  Lisbon. 

G,org,o  Arman,  Class.co.  a  classical  line  that  features  such  , terns 
as  crepe  suits  for  women  and  conservative  suits  for  men,  and  Acqua 
di  Gid   a  fragrance  for  men.  are  launched. 

The  spring/summer  1997  men's  collection  is  presented  at  the 
Palezzo  del  Seneto  in  Milen. 

Armeni  rece.ves  the  Men  of  the  Year  Award  from  GQ  USA,  besed  on 

votes  cest  by  megezine  reeders. 

As  fashion  enters  the  realm  of  official  culture.  Arman,  Is  included  in 
the  Italian  encyclopedia  Treccam.  which  is  akin  to  the  Encyclopedia 
Britannica. 


On  the  occasion  of  the  annuel  Pitti  Immagine  fashion  events  in 
Florence   Robert  Wilson  creates  GA  Story,  a  ninety-minute  performance 
comprised  of  seperete  tebleeux.  presented  in  the  Leopolde.  e  renovated 
nineteenth-century  train  station.  The  performance  .ncludes  music,  video, 
dance   special  lighting,  and  a  npntraditional  fashion  show  featuring  the 
designer's  spring/summer  1997  men's  collection.  Certain  guests  wear 
garments  from  Armani's  personal  erchives.  and  mode.s  and  dancers 
weer  his  clothes  both  in  the  performence  and  as  part  of  the  audience. 

G.orgio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Jean  Marais  end  Liv  Tyler  ,n 
Bernerdo  Bertolucci's  film  Stealing  Beauty,  Richerd  Gere  end  Laura 
Linney  in  Gregory  Hoblifs  Primal  Fear,  Mel  Gibson  and  Rene  Russo 
in  Ron  Howerd's  Ransom;  Micheel  J.  Fox  and  Jack  Nicholson  In  Tim 
Burton's  Mars  Attacks!;  Ana  Belen  In  Manuel  Gomez  Pereira  s  El  amor 
periodica  seriamente  la  salud:  Woody  Harrelson  in  Michael  Cimino  s 
The  Sunchaser,  Christopher  Lambert  in  Jeennot  Szwarc's  Hercule  et 
Sherlock;  and  Sally  Field  in  John  Schles.nger's  Eye  for  an  Eye. 

Armani  is  featured  in  La  regola  estrosa.  cenfanm  di  eleganza 
maschile,  an  exh.bition  cureted  by  Luigi  Settembrin,  et  the  Leopolda 
station.  It  .ncludes  photographs,  objects,  clothes,  and  accessories 
from  the  wardrobes  of  seventy  of  some  of  the  most  elegant  Italian  men 
of  the  twentieth  century. 

Arman,  participates  in  the  Biennale  di  Firenze.  wh.ch  explores  the 
intimate  relat,onsh,p  between  art  end  feshion.  His  work  is  included  in 
the  exhibition  sections  New  Person.  New  Universe,  cureted  by  Germane 
Celant  and  Visitors,  cureted  by  Settembrini. 

With  the  Italian  publisher  Leonardo  Mondadori,  Armeni  underwrites 
Da  Monet  a  Picasso,  an  exhibition  of  Impressionist  end  Post- 
impressionist  paintings,  watercolors,  end  drawings  from  the  Pushkin 
Museum  in  Moscow,  presented  at  the  Palazzo  Reale  In  Milan. 

Armen,  part.cipetes  In  a  fund-raising  effort  for  the  Rehabi.itation 
for  Addicted  Pnsoners  program.  Requesting  prisoners  to  produce 
drawings,  he  selects  the  three  best  and  has  them  printed  on  T-sh Ms. 
which  he  sells  In  all  Emporio  Armani  boutiques  in  Greet  Britein  with  the 
proceeds  benefiting  RAPT. 

1997 

Emporio  Armeni  Orologi  (wetches)  is  launched. 

Giorgio  Armani  boutiques  open  in  Hamburg;  San  Francisco; 
Kaohsiung.  Taiwan;  and  Melbourne.  The  first  Collezioni  Giorgio  Arman, 
boutiques  opan.  in  Milan.  London,  and  ToKyo.  featuring  the  Man!  Una 
for  women  and  the  Giorgio  Armani  Le  Collezioni  line  for  men.  The  first 
Arman,  Jeans  boutique  opens,  in  Rome.  Emporio  Armani  boutiques 
ppen  in  Istanbul;  Sao  Paolo;  Pesero  end  Cosenze.  Italy;  Nagoye.  Japen. 
and  Pusan,  South  Korea.  A  new  Emporio  Armani  boutique  also  opens 
in  New  York,  on  Madison  Avenue  between  Fiftyseventh  end  Fiftyeighth 
streets  Designed  by  Thomes  O'Brien,  the  multilevel  store  features 
more  youthful  clothes,  accessories,  home  objects,  and  a  cafe. 

The  spring/summer  1998  men's  end  women's  collections  ere 

presented  in  Tokyo,  fifteen  yeers  after  Armani's  last  visit  to  Japan. 

Armani  Is  nemed  Designer  of  the  Yeer.  Best  Modern  Clessics. 

by  Marie  Claire  USA.  . 

Giorgio  Armeni  clothing  is  worn  by  Tom  Henks  in  Rob  Reiner  s 
film  I  am  Your  Child;  Wesley  Snipes  in  Mike  Figgis's  One  Night  Stand 
ia  scene  within  the  film  elso  depicts  en  Emporio  Armani  commerce, 
being  shot);  Ethen  Hewke  in  Andrew  Niccol's  Gattaca;  Gina  Gershon 
in  Paul  Schrader's  Touch;  Frencesce  Neri  in  Pedro  Almodover  s  Carne 
Tremula  (Une  Flesh);  Diego  Abatantuono.  Christopher  Lambert,  end 
Emmanuelle  Seigner  in  Gabriele  Salvatores's  N.rvana;  ^"Stopher 
Lambert  In  Claude  Zid.'s  Arlette;  Bruce  Willis  In  Michael  Caton-J°nea 
The  Jackal:  Dust.n  Hoffmen  in  Costa-Gavres's  Mad  Dty;  Glenn  Close ,n 
Wolfgang  Petersen's  Air  Force  One;  Mire  Sorvino  in  Gu,llermo  del  Toro 


Mimic;  Dustin  Hoffman  in  Barry  Levmson's  Wag  the  Dog;  Jack  Nicholson 
and  Greg  Kinnear  in  James  L  Brooks's  As  Good  As  It  Gets;  and  Billy 
Crystal  in  Ivan  Reitman's  Fathers'  Day  (in  which  a  scene  is  shot  at  an 
Empono  Armani  boutique  in  San  Francisco).  Emporio  Armani  clothing  is 
worn  by  Claudia  Gerini  and  Leonardo  Pieraccioni  in  Pieraccioni's  Fuochi 
d'Artificio. 

Armani  designs  the  costumes  for  flamenco  dancer  Joaquin  Cortes 
and  his  company  for  Cortes's  ballet  Pasion  Gitana,  performed  at  New 
York's  City  Center. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  Italian  Ecological  Party's  annual  meeting, 
which  is  held  in  Milan,  Armani  designs  a  line  of  hemp  clothing  for  his 
Emporio  Armani  collection. 

As  a  tribute  to  Princess  Diana,  a  presentation  of  Giorgio  Armani 
clothing  takes  place  at  the  AIDS  Charity  Gala  in  Singapore. 

1998 

Emporio  Armani,  a  fragrance  for  men  and  women,  is  launched. 

The  world's  largest  A/X  Armani  Exchange  store  opens  in  New  York, 
on  Fifth  Avenue  at  Fifty-first  Street.  Designed  by  English  architect  Keith 
Hobbs  of  United  Designers,  the  store  is  inspired  by  Italian  open-air 
markets.  A  32-foot  stainless  steel  door  seals  the  store  like  a  vault  when 
it  is  closed  and  a  20-foot-wide  billboard  showing  several  images  from 
the  A/X  campaigns  hangs  behind  the  cashiers'  counter.  An  Emporio 
Armani  boutique  opens  on  the  Boulevard  St-Germain  in  Paris.  Giorgio 
Armani  boutiques  open  in  Las  Vegas  and  Kobe,  Japan. 

An  Emporio  Armani  runway  show  planned  for  the  Place  Saint-Sulpice 
in  Paris  is  canceled  by  the  French  authorities.  Armani  decides  to  show 
the  collection  in  New  York  instead,  at  the  Cipriani  Wall  Street,  which  is 
transformed  into  a  runway  theater  similar  to  the  one  in  his  Milan 

palazzo. 

Armani  receives  the  Bambi  Award  for  Best  International  Fashion 
Designer  from  Burda  Editions  in  Karlsruhe,  Germany;  the  Risultati 
Bocconi  award  from  the  Italian  financial  newspaper  //  Sole  24  Ore  for 
best  financial  results  in  Italy;  and  the  Pitti  Immagine  Uomo  award  in 

Florence. 

Giorgio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Melanie  Griffith  in  Randal 
Kleiser's  film  Shadow  of  Doubt;  Alessandra  Martines  in  Claude 
Lelouch's  Hasards  ou  coincidences;  Kevin  Spacey  and  Robin  Wright  in 
Anthony  Drazan's  Hurlyburly,  and  Bruce  Greenwood  and  Ashley  Judd 
in  Bruce  Beresford's  Double  Jeopardy  (in  which  a  scene  is  filmed  in  a 
Giorgio  Armani  boutique).  Emporio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Claudia 
Gerini  in  Franco  Bernini's  Sotto  la  Luna. 

Armani  designs  the  wardrobe  for  the  musicians  of  the  Verdi 
Orchestra  on  the  occasion  of  director  Giorgio  Strehler's  production  of 
Mozart's  opera  Cosi  fan'  tutte  at  the  Piccolo  Teatro  in  Milan,  and  for  the 
dancers  and  musicians  performing  in  choreographer  John  Neume.er  s 
ballet  Bernstein  Dances,  which  celebrates  the  life  of  Leonard  Bernstein, 
at  the  Hamburg  State  Opera  Theater,  the  Baden-Baden  Festival,  and  the 
Lincoln  Center  Festival  in  New  York.  He  also  designs  costumes  for 
Robert  Wilson's  La  Donna  del  Mare  (Lady  from  the  Sea)  at  the 
municipal  theater  in  Ferrara.  , 

Arman.  designs  a  dress  for  Barbie,  which  is  auctioned  at  Christie  s 
in  New  York  to  benefit  the  fight  against  breast  cancer. 


1999 

Armani  acquires  the  former  Nestle  factory  at  Via  Bergognone  59/61. 
near  the  Ansaldo  in  Milan,  for  his  new  headquarters.  Once  renovat.ons 
are  complete  in  2000.  the  complex  will  house  the  commercial. 
administrative,  and  marketing  offices,  show  rooms  for  each  product  Ime, 
and  a  theater  for  runway  shows  and  other  events.  The  press  offices  will 
remain  at  Borgonuovo  11.  The  spring/summer  2000  women  s  collection 


is  shown  in  the  factory.  Looking  for  a  more  contemporary  attitude. 
Armani  features  color  prominently  in  the  advertising  campaign,  which 
is  photographed  by  Ellen  von  Unwerth. 

The  Giorgio  Armani  boutique  in  Place  Vendome  in  Paris  is  renovated 
by  architect  Claudio  Silvestrin.  While  the  fagade  of  the  store  respects 
the  historical  architecture  of  Place  Vendome.  the  interior  has  the 
simplicity  and  beauty  of  other  flagship  stores  around  the  world. 

Giorgio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by  Sean  Connery  and  Catherine 
Zeta-Jones  in  Jon  Amiel's  film  Entrapment  and  by  Dermot  Mulroney 
in  Roland  Joffe's  Goodbye  Lover.  Emporio  Armani  clothing  is  worn  by 
Patricia  Arquette  in  Goodbye  Lover. 

Armani  designs  the  uniforms  for  the  Newcastle  United  soccer  team 
for  the  British  Cup  Final. 

He  produces  and  collaborates  on  Martin  Scorsese's  //  Dolce 
Cinema,  a  documentary  recounting  the  history  of  Italian  cinema  between 
1914  and  1962.  A  shorter  version  of  the  final  documentary  premieres 
at  the  Fifty-sixth  Venice  Film  Festival. 

2000 

Armani  Collezioni  is  launched  in  Europe.  Asia,  and  the  United  States. 
In  Europe  and  Asia,  the  new  label  encompasses  the  already  existing 
Giorgio  Armani  Le  Collezioni  men's  and  Mani  women's  lines.  In  the  U.S.. 
it  replaces  the  Giorgio  Armani  Le  Collezioni  men's  and  women's  lines 
(but  not  the  Mani  men's  line). 

Mania,  a  women's  fragrance,  is  launched,  as  well  as  Giorgio 
Armani  Cosmetics  and  an  accessories  line  that  includes  bags,  shoes, 
and  belts. 

The  Giorgio  Armani  web  site  is  launched,  with  pages  devoted  to 
each  of  the  company's  five  lifestyle  brands— Giorgio  Armani.  Armani 
Collezioni.  Emporio  Armani.  Armani  Jeans,  and  A/X  Armani  Exchange- 
that  are  designed  to  reflect  their  individual  attitudes  and  styles. 

Under  an  agreement  with  Holding  di  Partecipazioni  Industrial!, 
the  Armani  Group  assumes  control  of  certain  production  facilities  at 
two  factories  owned  by  GFT,  ensuring  that  all  production  is  brought 
under  Armani's  management  and  expertise.  The  agreement  also  returns 
responsibility  for  sales  and  distribution  of  the  Armani  Collezioni  and 
Mani  labels  in  the  U.S.-formerly  undertaken  by  the  GFT  America 
Fashion  Group— to  Armani. 

A  joint  venture  with  Ermeneg.ldo  Zegna-one  of  the  world's  leaders 
in  luxury  fabric  and  men's  clothing-is  established  for  the  production 
and  distribution  of  the  Armani  Collezioni  and  Mani  men's  lines. 

In  the  former  Assicurazioni  General,  building  on  Via  Manzoni.  M.Ian, 
designed  by  Enrico  Griffini  in  1937  and  acquired  by  Armani  In  1999, 
Armani  opens  Armani/V.a  Manzoni  31.  Renovated  in  collaboration  with 
architect  Michael  Gabellin.  of  Studio  Gabell.n.  Associates,  the  building 
comprises  three  floors  with  a  courtyard  and  a  rotunda-rem.n.scent 
of  Milan's  Galleria  V.ttorio  Emanuele-that  disperse  natural  daylight 
throughout.  Around  these  atriums  are  arranged  separate  boutiques, 
the  lower  level  houses  Armani/Sony  Style,  which  offers  innovative  Sony 
audio,  video,  and  technology  products;  the  ground  level  houses  Emporio 
Armani.  Armani  Jeans.  Arman.  Profum.  (perfume).  Arman.  Florl  (flowers), 
a  cafe   and  a  sushi  bar;  and  the  upper  level  houses  Arman,  Casa  (the 
new  home  collection  comprising  decorative  objects,  fabric  furnishings, 
and  tab.e  settings,  as  well  as  sofas,  tables,  chairs  and  beds).  Arman. 
Libri  (books),  and  Med.terranean  and  Japanese  restaurants  The  burid.ng 
will  provide  an  ongoing  showcase  for  young  Italian  artists,  who  will  be 
able  to  exhibit  their  work  throughout  the  store. 

Arman.  rece.ves  the  David  d,  Donate.lo  (the  Italian  equivalent  of  an 
Oscar)  for  his  contribution  to  film  and  enema.  The  award  is  presented 
to  him  at  the  ceremony  by  Lauren  Hutton. 

Arman,  designs  the  costumes  for  the  principal  characters  of 


365 


Giuseppe  Verdi's  Rfcototto.  performed  at  the  Los  Angeles  Opera. 

He  also  designs  the  costumes  for  Samuel  L.  Jackson  in  John 
Smgleton's  remake  of  the  film  Shaft,  and  for  Ben  Affleck  and  Gwyneth 
Paltrow  in  Don  Roos's  Bounce. 

He  designs  the  uniforms  for  the  Chelsea  soccer  team  for  the  British 

^ThTtwenty-fifth  anniversary  of  Giorgio  Arman,  S.p.A.  is  marked  by  a 
major  exhibition  at  the  Solomon  R.  Guggenheim  Museum  in  New  York. 


Notes 

1. 


Luig.  Settembr.m.  "From  Haute  Couture  to  Prel-a-porter."  In  The  Italian 
Metamorphosis.  1943-1968  (New  York:  Guggenhe.m  Museum.  1994). 
pp.  486-47. 

2  Ibid.,  p.  492. 

3  Jay  Cocks.  "Suiting  Up  for  Easy  Street,"  T,me.  Apr.l  5.  1982.  pp.  60-62. 

4.  Ibid.,  p.  62. 


366 


SELECTED    BIBLIOGRAPHY 
by  llaria  Dupre 


Selected  Books  and  Catalogues. 

Ag.ns,  Teri.  The  End  of  Fashion:  The  Mass  Marketing  of  the  Clothing  Business. 

New  York:  William  Morrow  &  Co..  1999. 
Alfons.   Maria  V.ttor.a.  "Giorgio  Armani.  Giorgio's  Gorgeous  Style."  In  Leaders  ,n 
Fashion-  I  grand,  personaggi  della  moda.  Bologna:  Cappelli  Ed.tore,  1983. 
Aspes.   Natalia.  "G.orgio  Arman.."  In  Perche  loro.  Arman,  Baudo,  Berluscon,  B,ag, 
Dalla,  De  Benedetti.  Eco.  Falcao,  ForaWm.  Nlcollni,  Pertlni,  Scalfar,  Bar, 
Editori  Laterza,  1984,  pp.  33-57. 
Aston,  Antonia.  "Una  problema  di  cultura."  In  S.lv.a  G.acomon.,  L'ltalia  delta  moda. 

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1 QR7^    D    194 

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June  26.  1989.  ..  . 

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19,  1998. 
Rusconi,  Marisa.  "Smoking  e  scarpe  da  tennis."  L'Espresso  (Rome)  1  (January  7, 

1999),  pp.  122-24. 


Dallai.  Marghenta.  "Ecco  la  mia  isola."  Viaggio  (Milan)  21,  3  (June  1999).  p.  53. 

.  "Pantelleria  amor  mio."  Viaggio  (Milan)  22,  3  (July  1999). 

Chienci,  Maurizio.  "Armani.  I  colori  di  Pantelleria."  Comere  della  Sera  (Milan), 

July  21.  1999.  p.  31. 
Pietroni  Starace.  Ehsa.  "Giorgio  Armani:  quell'isola  e  il  mio  Puerto  Escondido." 

Gazzetta  di  Parma  (Parma).  July  25.  1999.  p.  16. 
Savidan,  Dominique.  "Je  suis  trop  jeune  pour  deleguer."  Le  Figaro  (Pans), 

September  28,  1999. 
Paracchmi,  Gian  Luigi.  "Armani:  questa  e  la  mia  svolta.  la  donna  del  2000  si  ispira 

a  Internet."  Comere  della  Sera  (Milan),  September  29,  1999,  p.  21. 
Arosio,  Enrico  and  Jacaranda  Falck.  "Siate  sexy— Educatamente."  L'Espresso 

(Rome)  39  (September  30,  1999),  pp.  88-92. 
Matarrese,  Antonella,  and  Angelo  Pergolini.  "Armani  anno  o."  Panorama  (Milan). 

January  6.  2000.  pp.  76-80. 
"La  mode  ne  doit  pas  regarder  en  arriere."  Le  Figaro  (Paris).  January  17,  2000. 
Gastel.  Minnie.  "Giorgio  Armani  25  anni  da  protagonista."  Donna  (Milan)  2 

(February  2000),  pp.  40-51. 
Prost,  Mane-Laure.  "Notre  creation  est  faite  pour  durer."  Cosm6tique  (Paris). 

February  2000,  pp.  22-23. 
Asnaghi.  Laura.  "Nata  nel  1920  per  le  divise  Usa,  la  girocollo  piu  trendy  e  ora  un 
mix  di  stili.  Cotone.  tulle,  lana  dah'  impronta  hippy."  La  Repubblica  (Rome). 
February  16,  2000.  p.  31. 
Henno.  Martine.  "Le  roi  Giorgio  sacre  a  New  York."  Le  Figaro  (Paris).  February  21, 

2000.  p.  15. 
Hublet  Marianne.  "Armani  et  la  nouvelle  ere."  Weekend  le  VH8  (February  25, 

2000).  p.  97. 
Munoz,  Ana.  "Giorgio  Armani."  Blanco  y  Negro  (Madrid).  February  27,  2000. 

pp.  40-49. 
Ferre.  Giusi.  "La  nuova  natura  del  piacere.  Piu'  seducente  la  donna,  piu'  attraente 
I'uomo.  Giorgio  Armani  percorre  I'erotismo.  E  promette  nuovi  peccati."  Arnica 
(Milan),  March  2000,  pp.  182-89. 
Krohmer,  Anke.  "Colui  che  dettta  la  moda."  Playboy  (Rome).  March  2000. 

pp.  137-49. 
Molter.  Veit.  "Klassiker  der  Moderne:  Giorgio  Armani  25  Jahre  im  Dienst  der  Mode." 

Dolce  (Munich)  3  (March  2000).  pp.  17-21. 
Wilbekin.  Emil.  "Classic  Cuts."  Vibe  (New  York)  3  (March  2000).  pp.  168-72. 
Brunei.  Jacques.  "La  precision  du  flou  Armani."  Vogue  (Paris),  April  2000. 

pp.  184-286. 
Webb,  lain  R.  "Empire  Armani."  Elle  UK  (London).  April  2000.  pp.  259-63. 
Dean.  Syahmedi.  "Giorgio  Armani.  The  Silver  Years.  Harper's  Bazaar  (New  York). 
June  2000. 

Selected  Writings  and  Statements  by  the  Artist 

Statement  in  "Un  Borsahno  in  testa."  //  Nuovo  Veronese  (Verona). 

November  19.  1983. 
Statement  in  "Ecco  la  mia  sfida  per  I'abito  del  future"  L'Unita  (Rome), 

December  18.  1983. 
Statement  in  "Un  po'  di  mistero  non  guasta."  Fashion  (Milan).  October  6.  1984. 
Statement  in  "Parola  di  Armani:  I'abito  fa  il  monaco."  L'Unita  (Rome), 

October  6,  1985. 
"Tra  tncolore  e  spaghetti."  Incontri,  February  1986. 
Statement  in  Raffaella  Carretta.  "II  cinquantenne."  Epoca  (M.Ian)  1888  (December 

12,  1986),  pp.  26-30. 
Statement  in  "Giorgio  Armani  Amarcord."  Liberta  (Piacenza),  March  17,  1987. 
Statement  in  Fabio  Franchmi.  "E  lo  st.hsta  Armani  le  dedica  un  pensiero."  Gazzetta 

dello  sport  (Milan).  March  19,  1987. 
"Armani:  anche  per  il  tempo  va  il  corto."  //  Messaggero  (Rome).  April  10.  1987. 
"Armani:  autontratto  televisivo."  Liberta  (Piacenza).  May  1.  1987. 
"Quell'aerea  eleganza  di  Fred  Astaire."  //  Giorno  (Milan).  July  10.  1987. 
"Armani:  una  maestra  nel  coraggio  di  cambiare."  La  Stampa  (Turin), 

September  3.  1987. 


"La  trad.z.one  vincente."  //  Messaggero  (Rome).  September  23.  1988. 
Statement  in  "Jersey-^osa  ne  pensano  gli  stlllsti."  LVomo  Vogue  (M.Ian,  179 

(November  1987). 
"Modello  Cary  Grant."  LEspresso  (Rome).  January  8.  1989.  pp.  66-67. 
-Look  and  Roll."  0  Messaggero  (Rome).  February  24.  1989.  p.  14. 
Statement  in  Manna  Cos..  "Niente  scuo.a.  s.amo  creativi."  Italia  Oggi  (Milan), 

March  1.  1989.  p.  15. 
Statement  in  Adr-ana  Mulassano.  "Di  G.org.o  in  G,org.o."  Capital  (M.Ian).  June 

1989.  pp.  134-41. 
"Butt.amoci  tra  le  morb.de  lane."  //  Messaggero  (Rome).  September  10.  1989. 
Statement  In  Marco  De  Corona.  -Molto  meg.io  come  eravamo."  Cornere  della  Sera 

(Milan),  November  27.  1989. 
-II  suo  look."  Panorama  (Milan).  December  3.  1989.  p.  41. 
■Un  PC  largo  per .  g.ovani  ma  sempre  inappuntabile."  II  Messaggero  (Rome). 

December  12.  1989.  p.  11. 
Statement  in  Gius.  Ferre,  "Arman,.  .  perche  d.  uno  stile."  Am.ca  (M.Ian)  8 

(February  1990). 
-II  p.acere  d.  camb.are  per  le.  e  un  class.co."  II  Messaggero  (Romei. 

March  4.  1990. 
-Queinnd.spensabile  pezzo  da  novanta."  //  Messaggero  (Rome).  April  15.  1990. 

p.  11. 
-innocent,  evasion."  II  Messaggero  (Rome).  November  9.  1990.  p.  7 
-Da  griffe  di  abb.gliamento  a  march.o  d'impresa."  Mondo  Eonom,co  (M.Ian). 

June  30.  1990. 
Statement  In  B.anca  Mar.a  Picc.nino.  "Giorgio  Arman.."  Forum  Colorum, 

July-September  1990.  pp.  9-11. 
Statement  In  Glynis  Cost.n.  "S.gnor  Glamour."  Fash.on  Life,  February  1991. 

pp.  44-46. 
Statement  In  Cr.st.na  Tonelli.  "Camporese  e  propr.o  alia  moda."  La  Gazzetta 

Sportiva  (Milan).  February  10.  1991.  p.  2. 
-Moda  Carnevale-R.sponde  Armani."  Ogg,  (M.Ian,.  February  13.  1991.  p.  9. 
-Collett.  sbarazz.ni."  //  Messaggero  (Rome).  March  2.  1991. 
Statement  in  Roberto  Gatti,  "Quest.one  di  stile."  LEspresso  (Rome).  March  10. 

1991.  pp.  52-55. 
-L-.ndustria  dell'abb.gliamento  secondo  G.org.o  Arman.."  Modena  Mondo  (Modena). 

May  1991.  p.  5. 
"Niente  stravaganza.  solo  sobr.eta."  //  Messaggero  (Rome).  October  5.  1991. 
Statement  in  Simona  Fassat..  "Non  per  la  f.rma  ma  per  la  quanta."  //  Sole  24  Ore 

(M.Ian).  October  6.  1991. 
-La  mia  sfida."  Ulisse  2000  (Roma).  December  1991.  pp.  128-29. 
Un  mtervento  d.  G.org.o  Armani."  Donna  (M.Ian).  December  1991.  p.  150. 
Statement  in  "Domen.ca  con  G.org.o."  Panorama  (M.Ian).  Apr.l  12.  1992.  p.  147. 
Statement  in  Emma  Francesch.n..  "E  la  g.acca  entra  nel  museo."  //  Messaggero 

(Rome),  June  21.  1992. 
-L'atel.er  de.  talent.."  Cornere  delta  Sera  (Milan).  June  24.  1992,  p.  3. 
Statement  in  G.us.  Ferre.  "Sempliclta  al  potere.  e  Arman.  diventa  un  s.mbolo." 

Europeo  (Milan)  26  (June  26.  1992). 
-Comun.care  con  stile."  La  Repubblica  (Rome).  December  17.  1992,  p.  21. 
-L'opmione:  le.  vista  da  liu."  Donna  (Milan).  January  1993.  p.  76. 
"Giusto  essere  orgogl.osi."  La  Repubblica  (Rome).  February  4.  1993. 
"Saint-Tropez."  Maneclaire  (Paris).  August  1993.  p.  22. 
-Un  ragazzo  da.  capelh  b.anchi."  Somsi  e  Canzon,  TV  (M.Ian).  February  1993. 

pp.  52-53. 

Statement  In  Donatella  Pol.zz.  Piazza.  "Arman.  scopre  la  sua  Africa."  Giornale  d, 

Sicilia  (Palermo).  May  8.  1993.  p.  20. 
Statement  In  Sof.a  Catalano.  "E  la  modella  pelle  e  ossa  v.nse."  Giornale  d,  Sicilia 

(Palermo).  May  22.  1993.  p.  22. 
-Tra  lusso  e  neopovero."  LVomo  Vogue  (M.Ian).  June  1993.  pp.  90-91. 
-P.ango  anch-.o  le  vitt.me  della  moda."  La  Stampa  (Tur.n).  September  18.  1993. 

p.  16. 
Satement  in  Luciana  Boccard..  "Firmate  da  Giorgio  Arman.  le  d.v.se  della 


nazionale."  II  GazzeWno  (Venice).  June  2.  1994. 
Statement  in  Minnie  Gastel.  "Giorgio  Armani-R.com.nc.are  ogn,  volta."  Donna 

(Milan),  July  1994.  pp.  134-37. 
"Bellezza  contro  scandalo."  La  Stampa  (Turin).  September  9.  1994. 
"Femmin.lita  senza  volgar.ta."  La  Voce  (Milan).  October  1.  1994. 
Statement  in  "La  parola  d'ordine  e:  formazione."  Cornere  Lavoro  (M.Ian). 

October  28.  1994.  p.  3. 
Statement  in  Sara  Gay  Forden.  "Arman.:  alt  alia  moda  spettacolo."  La  Stampa 

(Turin).  November  25.  1994. 
Statement  in  G.usi  Ferre.  "Moda  pulita  ce  la  fara."  Europeo  (Milan)  51  (December 

28.  1994).  pp.  96-100. 
-Bella  e  d'annata."  La  Voce  (M.Ian)  242  (December  31.  1994). 
Statement  in  Isabella  Boss.  Fedr.gotti.  "Arman.:  ho  trovato  ('America.'  L  "Espresso 

(Rome)  1  (January  5.  1995).  pp.  152-53. 
-Stillstl  dite  basta  agli  ann.  60."  La  Stampa  (Turin).  October  27,  1995.  pp.  1-4. 
"Armani  D.sarmed."  Empono  Arman,  magaz.ne  (M.Ian)  14  (September 

1995-February  1996).  pp.  Wx. 
"La  moda  passa.  I'arte  resta."  Messaggero  Veneto  (Ud.ne)  September  28.  1996. 

Statement  in  Mar.ka  De  Feo.  "Arman.  bacchetta  tutti."  Cornere  della  Sera  (M.Ian). 

February  2.  1997.  p.  14. 
Statement  in  R.  Cri,  "lo,  I'amore  e  I  colleghi."  La  Stampa  (Tur.n).  February  9.  1997. 
-La  pagel.a  d.  Arman.:  stlllsti.  razza  dannata."  //  G,orno  (M.Ian),  February  9.  1997, 

P-  10- 
"Rompo  le  regole  e  r.com.nc.o  da  me."  Cornere  della  Sera  (M.Ian).  October  3. 

1997,  p.  7. 

-Come  sono  cambiati  I'uomo  e  la  sua  moda  da  quando  e  nato  Mondo  Uomo  a 

oggi?"  Mondo  Uomo  (Milan).  November-December  1997. 
-in  equ.l.bno  senza  cam.cia.  ma  con  .a  g.acca.  La  sfida  raff.nata  che  propone  un 

nuovo  stile,  senza  travestiment."  Cornere  della  Sera  (Milan),  January  11. 

1998,  p.  5. 

"La  Borsa  pud  attendere."  L  "Espresso  (Rome)  32  (August  13.  1998),  pp.  126-27. 
Statement  in  Marta  Citacov.  "La  moda  punta  al  recupero  dalhdent.ta."  L  uomo 

Vogue  (Milan)  292  (July-August  1998). 
Statement  in  Paola  Bottelli.  "Arman,:  ,1  dubbio  di  ogg.:  a  ch.  passare  .1  test.mone. 

//  Sole  24  Ore  (Milan).  October  2.  1998.  p.  3. 
Statement  in  "Un  gigante  che  vale  2.400  m.l.ardi  I'anno."  Gente  Money  (man). 

July  1.  1999.  pp.  210-11. 
Statement  in  "Arman,  lascia?  Ancora  giovane."  II  Mattino  (Naples).  September  29. 

1999    p    10. 
Statements  "Arman.  e  Hdp  a,  fern  corti."  La  Repubblica  (Rome).  October  6.  1999. 

p.  42. 
"L.nch.esta  BBC  non  ha  fatto  male  alia  moda  m.lanese."  Liberia  (P.acenza). 

December  1.  1999.  p.  2. 
Statement  in  Giamp.etro  Baudo.  "G.org.o  Armani:  rigore  senza  tempo."  Milano 

Fmanza  Fashion  (Milan).  December  14.  1999,  p.  6. 
-Non  c'e  piu  ver.ta  nella  moda:  op.n.one  d.  Arman.."  Panorama  (Milan).  February 

24.  2000. 
Statement  In  "Contatt,  con  Gucci,  ma  non  solo."  //  Messaggero  (Rome).  February 

24.  2000.  p.  21. 


PHOTO    CREDITS 


Pages  xv  left:  Photofest:  right  Corb.s-Bettmann;  Page  xvii:  left:  UPI/Corb,s- 
Bettmann:  center:  Corb.s-Bettmann:  right:  Aldo  Fallal:  Page  xx:  Courtesy  G,org,o 
Armani  S  p  A  ■  Page  2:  Leo  dell'Orco:  Page  4:  #4  Olympia/Publifoto;  Pages  5-17: 
all  Courtesy  G,org,o  Armani.  S.p.A..  unless  otherwise  indicated:  Page  10:  #22 
Aldo  Fallar  #23  Eugenio  Bersani:  #24  Vittonano  Rastelli:  #25  Courtesy  The  Peggy 
Guggenheim  Collection;  #27  ©  Agenzia  Aelle-.  #28  Claudio  Sandano;  #29 
Scala/Art  Resource.  NV;  #30  Agenzia  Aelle;  Page  11:  #32  Scala/Art  Resource. 
NY-  #33  Glaoni  Clerlci;  #34  Mario  Peccol;  #36  Gianni  Clerici;  #37  Vittonano 
Rastelli-  #42  J  P  Coudere;  #43  Claudio  Sandano:  #44  ©  Alan  Berliner:  Page  16: 
#45-  ©  Oberto  Gill,  #46  Aldo  Fallal;  #47  ©  Joachim  Messerschmidt/Bruce 
Coleman.  Inc.:  #49:  Leo  dell'Orco:  #52  ©  Christopher  Simon  Sykes/The  Interior 
Archive-  #53  ©  Joachim  Messerschmidt/Bruce  Coleman.  Inc.;  Page  17:  #58 
Letteno  Pomard;  #59:  Lord  Alfred  Snowden;  #61  Vittoriano  Rastelli;  #62  Isabel 
Snyder-  #63  ©  Christopher  Simon  Sykes/The  Interior  Archive:  Page  21:  left: 
Associated  Press:  right:  Epoca/Black  Star;  Page  22:  left  and  right:  Aldo  Fallal; 
PaSe  24-  all:  Aldo  Fallal;  Page  27:  Aldo  Fallal;  Page  29:  left:  Aldo  Fallal;  right:  Ellen 
Von  Unwer.h;  Page  31:  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani  S.p.A,  Page  34:  ©  Steve  Gramtz; 
Page  36-  Tonmo  Muci.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A,  Page  39:  Courtesy  Giorg.0 
Arman,  S  p  A,Page  38:  ©  Kevin  Mazur.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armam.  S.p.A.;  Page  39: 
©  Jeff  Slocomb/Outl.ne;  Page  40:  Top  row:  Julia  Roberts:  ©  Berliner  Studio, 
Courtesy  G.orgio  Armani.  S.p.A,  L,am  Neeson:  ©  James  Smeal/Ron  Galella  Ltd, 
Jessica  Tandy:  ©  Rob  Browne/Outl.ne;  L.  della  Rovere:  Courtesy  Giorg.o  Armani. 
S  p  A  -  Rob,n  Williams:  Courtesy  Giorgio  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Second  row:  Winona 
Ryder'©  Rose  Hartman,  Globe  Photos.  Inc.;  Margherita  Buy:  Nally  Bellat,. 
Courtesy  Giorgio  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Freddie  Prinze.  Jr:  ©  Janet  Gough/Celebnty 
Photo.  Courtesy  G.orgio  Armani.  S.p.A,  Jenna  Elfman:  Kathy  Hutchins;  CM 
Eastwood:  Courtesy  Giorg.o  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Third  Rdw:  David  E.  Kelly:  ©Kevin 
Winter/Celebnty  Photo;  Martin  Scorsese:  Courtesy  Giorgio  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Arnold 
Schwarzenegger  and  Maria  Schriver:  ©  Janet  Cough/Celebrity  Photo;  Mel  Gibson: 
©  Berliner  Studio.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A,  Debbie  Mazar:  ©  Tamm,e 
Arroyo.  Courtesy  G.org.o  Armani.  S.p.A,  Fourth  Row:  Warren  Beatty:  ©  Janet 
Gough/Celebnty  Photo.  Courtesy  G.orgio  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Faye  Dunaway:  Long 
Photography.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Eleonora  G.org,:  Nally  Bellat,. 
Courtesy  G.orgio  Armani.  S.p.A,  Luca  Barbareschi:  Courtesy  Giorgio  Arman,. 
SpA-  Phil  Collins:  ©  Roger  Karnbad/Celebnty  Photo,  Courtesy  G.org.o  Arman, 
S'p  A  ;  Bottom  Row:  Lilly  Guber:  Nally  Bellati.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Arman,.  S.p.A.;  T,m 
Robbins:  ©  Gilbert  Flores/Celebrity  Photo.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A,.  Claire 
Forlani-  ©  James  Smeal/Ron  Galella  Ltd..  Courtesy  Giorg.o  Arman,.  S.p.A,  T,na 
Turner:  Courtesy  G.org.o  Arman,.  S.p.A.;  Gary  S,n,se:  ©  James  Smeal.  Courtesy 
Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A,  Page  41:  ©  Gregory  Pace.  Sygma;  Page  42:  ©  Rose 
Hartman/Globe  Photos.  Inc.:  Page  43:  ©  Andrew  Brusco/Outline;  Page  44:  © 
Sante  D'Oraz.o;  Page  45:  ©  Reuters/Gary  Hershorn/Archive  Photos;  Page  46:  Top 
Row-  Billy  Crystal:  ©  Kev.n  Winter/Celebrity  Photo.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Arman,. 
SpA-  Isabella  Rossellin,:  Tonmo  Muc.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Angelina 
Jolia:  Berliner  Studio.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani,  S.p.A,  Lawrence  Fishburne:  © 
Scott  Downie/Celebnty  Photo;  Lena  Olin:  ©  James  Smeal.  Courtesy  Giorgio 
Arman,  S  p.A,  Second  Row:  Penny  Marshall:  ©  James  Smeal.  Courtesy  G,org,o 
Arman,  S.p.A,.  Mark  Wahlberg:  ©  Celebrity  Photo  Agency.  Courtesy  G,org,o 
Arman,  S  p.A,.  Mira  Sorv.no:  Celebrity  Photo  Agency.  Courtesy  Giorg.o  Arman,. 
S.p.A,.  Fann,  Ardant;  Courtesy  Giorgio  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Thora  B.rch:  C  »*». 
Smeal.  Courtesy  G.org.o  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Th.rd  Row:  Jewel:  ©  James  Smeal.  Djimon 
Hounsou:  ©  Alex  Berl,ner/Berl,ner  Studio/Agenzia  de  Bellis;  Charlize  Theron.  O 
James  Smeal.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Christie  Bnnkley  and  Peter  Cook. 
©  Globe  Photos,  inc..  Courtesy  Giorg.o  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Jeff  Goldblum:  ©  Janet 
Gough/Celebrity  Photo;  Fourth  Row:  Katie  Holmes.  Courtesy  Giorg.c '  A<™™- 
S  p  A  -  Diego  Abatantuomo:  Nally  Bellati,  Courtesy  Giorgio  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Roberto 
Ben,gn,:  ©  James  Smeal.  Courtesy  G.org.o  Armani.  S.p.A,.  Monica  Bellucci:  Tonmo 
Muc.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Arman,.  S.p.A,  L,sa  Kudow:  ©  Cra.g  S*™^" 
Photo;  Bottom  Row:  D.ane  Keaton:  ©  Bob  Noble.  Globe  Photos.  Inc    James  van 
cer  Beck:  Courtesy  G.org.o  Armani.  S.p.A,  L,sa  Rinna:  ©  Celebrity  Photo  Age  c, 
Courtesy  G.orgio  Arman,.  S.p.A,  Gabriel  Byrne:  ©  James  Smeal;  Gioia  March,. 


Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani,  S.p.A,  Page  47:  ©  Gregory  Pace.  Sygma;  Page  48:  © 
Steve  Granitz.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Page  49:  ©  Albert  Ferreira.  Globe 
Photos.  Inc.;  Page  50:  ©  Frank  Trapper.  Sygma;  Page  51:  ©  Roger  Harvey.  Globe 
Photos.  Inc.;  Page  52:  Gae  Aulenti.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Page  53:  Top 
row:  Kevin  Costner:  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Keri  Russell:  Courtesy 
Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Tom  Hanks:  Olympia.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.; 
Ashley  Judd:  ©  Henry  McGee.  Globe  Photos.  Inc.;  Kevin  Spacey:  ©  Miranda 
Shen/Celebrity  Photo.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Second  Row:  Lauryn  Hill: 
Berliner  Studio.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Ben  Affleck:  ©  Kevin  Mazur. 
Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Emmanuelle  Beart:  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani. 
S.p.A.;  Sean  Connery:  Celebrity  Photo  Agency.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A; 
Gwyneth  Paltrow:  ©  Walter  Weissman.  Globe  Photos.  Inc.;  Third  Row:  Alicia 
Silverstone:  ©  Gilbert  Flores/Celebrity  Photo;  Jean-Michel  Basquiat:  ©  Lizzie 
Himmel;  Sharon  Stone:  ©  Lisa  Rose.  Globe  Photos.  Inc..  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani. 
S.p.A.;  Caroline  Kennedy  Schlossberg  and  John  F.  Kennedy:  Courtesy  Giorgio 
Armani.  S.p.A.;  Russell  Crowe:  ©  James  Smeal;  Fourth  Row:  Natalie  Portman:  © 
Steve  Finn.  Globe  Photos.  Inc..  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Denzel 
Washington:  ©  Alan  Berliner.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Diane  Lane:  © 
James  Smeal/Ron  Galella  Ltd.;  Leonardo  D.Caprio:  ©  James  Smeal;  Julia  Louis 
Dreyfus:  ©  Celebrity  Photo  Agency.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Bottom  Row: 
Salma  Hayek:  ©  James  Smeal;  Ed  Harris:  ©  Miranda  Chen/Celebrity  Photo; 
Candice  Bergen:  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Emma  Thompson:  ©  Lisa  Rose. 
Globe  Photos.  Inc.  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A..;  Pete  Sampras:  ©  James 
Smeal;  Page  54:  ©  Berliner  Studio;  Page  55:  ©  Walter  McBride/Retna  Ltd.. 
Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Page  56:  ©  Eric  Charbonneau.  Berliner  Studio. 
Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Page:  57:  ©  James  Smeal.  Courtesy  Giorgio 
Armani.  S.p.A.;  Pages  60-65:  David  Heald  and  Ellen  Labenski;  Page  69:  right: 
Courtesy  National  Portrait  Gallery.  London;  Page  70:  right:  Association  Willy 
Maywald— ADAGP;  Page  71:  Aldo  Fallal;  Page  72:  left  and  right:  Courtesy  Giorgio 
Armani  S.p.A.;  Pages  75-80:  David  Heald  and  Ellen  Labenski;  Page  83:  left  and 
right-  Aldo  Fallal;  Page  86:  left:  Steven  Stickler;  right:  ©  Kevin  Winter/Celebrity 
Photo-  Page  87:  left:  Aldo  Fallal;  right:  Peter  Lindbergh;  Page  90:  Peter  Lindbergh; 
Page  92:  Peter  Lindbergh;  Page  93:  Paolo  Rovers.;  Page  94:  Aldo  Fallal;  Page  95: 
Peter  Lindbergh;  Page  96:  Paolo  Rovers.;  Page  97:  Peter  Lindbergh;  Page  98-99: 
Peter  L.ndbergh;  Page  100:  Aldo  Fallal;  Page  102-3:  Paolo  Rovers.;  Page  104-15: 
Aldo  Fallar  Page  118:  Ellen  Von  Unwerth;  Page  120:  left:  Peter  Lindbergh;  right: 
Aldo  Fallar.  Page  121:  left  and  right:  Aldo  Fallal;  Page  122:  left  and  right:  Peter 
L.ndbergh;  Page  123-25:  Aldo  Fallal;  Page  126:  Ellen  von  Unwerth;  Page  128-33: 
Aldo  Fallai  Pages  136-52:  David  Heald  and  Ellen  Labenski;  Page  157:  left: 
Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani  S.p.A,  right:  Peter  L.ndbergh;  Page  159:  all:  Courtesy 
G.org.o  Armani.  S.p.A,.  Page  160:  Courtesy  Sta.ey  Wise;  Page  162:  Aldo  Fallar, 
Page  164-65:  Aldo  Fallai;  Page  166-67:  Jacques  Olivar;  Page  168-71:  Aldo 
Fallai-  Page  172-73:  Peter  Lindbergh;  Pages  176-97:  David  Heald  and  Ellen 
Labenskr  Page  201:  Gianni  Berengo  Gardin;  Page  202:  Courtesy  G.org.o  Armani. 
S  p  A  •  Page  203:  left:  Aldo  Fallai;  Page  205:  left:  Peter  L.ndbergh;  right:  Aldo 
Fallar  Page  206:  Aldo  Fallai;  Pages  210-23:  all  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.. 
unless  otherwise  indicated;  Pages  210.  212-13  Giann.  Berengo  Gard.n;  Page 
214-15-  Guillaume  de  Laub.er;  Page  217:  top  left  and  right:  Oberto  G.li.  bottom 
left  and  right:  Salviat.  Erpini.  MHano;  Page  218-19:  Oberto  Gill,  ©  House  and 
Garden.  Courtesy  Peter  Mar.no  P.us  Assoc.  Arch.tects;  Page  220-21:  Oberto  GUI; 
Pages  224-229-  David  Heald  and  Ellen  Labenski;  Pages  232-42:  Dav.d  Heald  and 
Ellen  Labenski;  Page  247:  left:  Aldo  Fallal;  right:  Photofest;  Page  248:  Photofest; 
Page  249-  left-  The  Neal  Peters  Collection;  right:  Aldo  Fallai;  Page  258-61:  Aldo 
Fallar  Page  262-65:  Peter  Lindbergh;  Page  266-69:  Aldo  Fallar.  Page  270: 
Photofest;  Page  274:  left  and  right:  Photofest;  Page  275:  left:  The  Kobal 
Collection;  right:  Photofest;  Page  276:  top  left:  The  Neal  Peters  Collection,  top 
right  and  bottom  left  and  right:  Photofest;  Page  277:  all:  Photofest;  Page  278.  left. 
Timothy  White.  Courtesy  Paramount  Pictures;  right:  Eli  Reed.  Courtesy  Paramount 
Pictures;  Page  279:  left  and  r.ght:  Eli  Reed.  Courtesy  Paramount  Pictures;  Page 
280:  Aldo  Fallal;  Page  282:  Photofest;  Page  283-84:  Courtesy  G.orgio  Armani 
S  p  A  -  Page  285:  Photofest;  Page  286:  Courtesy  Museum  of  Modern  Art.  Film 


Stills  Archive:  Page  287-88:  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Page  289-90: 
Photofest;  Page  291:  left  and  right:  Courtesy  Giorgio  Armani.  S.p.A.;  Page 
292-301:  Aldo  Fallai;  Page  302-3:  Kurt  Markus;  Page  304-5:  Davis  La  Chapelle; 
Page  306-7:  Aldo  Fallar.  Page  308-9:  Philippe  Comettr.  Page  310-13:  Aldo  Fallar, 
Pages  316-23:  David  Heald  and  Ellen  Labenski;  Page  362:  spring/summer  1996: 
left  and  right:  Peter  Lindbergh;  Page  363:  spring/summer  1997:  left:  Paolo 
Roversi;  right:  Peter  Lindbergh. 


Special  Photography  Credits 

photographer:  John  Akehurst 

photo  assts  :  Lena  Modigh  &  Jermaine  Francis 

model:  Kate  Elson  @  Models  One 

stylist:  Maria  Virgin 

hair:  Stephen  Lacey 

make-up:  Charlotte  Tilbury 

studio:  metro  studio 

thanks  to:  Metro  Digital  and  Art  Department.  Core  London;  LTI  London; 

Susan  at  BDI  Colour  Lab 

photographer:  Miles  Aldridge 


agency: 
photo  assts.: 
models: 


stylist: 

set  stylist: 

set  stylist  asst.: 

hair: 

make-up: 

make-up  asst.: 

studio: 


Rachel  @  Streeters 

Gregor  McGregor  &  Ben  Smith 

Mia  @  Select 

Liberty  @  Storm 

Laura  D.  @  Visions 

Kate  Elson  &  Janelle  @  Models  One 

Katie  Grand 

Steve  Stewart 

Tony 

Peter  Grey  @  Untitled 

Alice  Ghendrih  @  Streeters 

Claudia  Pascolini 

Big  Sky  Studios.  London 


photographer:  Enrique  Badulescu 


agency: 

photo  assts.: 

models: 

stylist: 

make-up: 

hair: 


Art  Partner 

Raul  Diaz  &  Giovanni  Zaccagnini 

Natalia  &  Valentine  @  Viva 

Antje  Winter 

Irene  Oberrauch  @  Carole 

Vince  @  Heuze 


photographer:  David  Bailey 

photo  assts.:  Andrew  Brooke  &  Will  Davidson 

model:  Catherine  Bailey 

nair:  Sacha  Mascolo  @  Essensuals  using  T1G1  products 

photographer:  Walter  Chin 


agency: 
photo  assts: 
models: 


stylist: 
prop  stylist: 
hair: 
make-up 

hair/make-up  for 
Lauren  Hutton: 


Marek  &  Associates 

Ernesto  Urdaneta  &  Harry  Kong 

Lauren  Hutton 

Holly  Solomon 

Brad  Khihamer 

Marc  &  Ian  for  Click  Models 

David  Strmgfield  &  Bill  Ohrstrom  for  Next 

Timothy  Reukauf  for  Marek  &  Associates 

Donnie  Myers  for  Marek  &  Associates 

Dickey  for  CMI 

Paige  Smitherman  for  Marek  &  Associates 

Roberto  Morelli 


photographer:  Michel  Comte 


agency: 
photo  assts. 
models: 


stylist: 


JGK 

Miki  Schultz.  Erik  Schaetzke  &  Nisha  Sondhe 

Amy  Wessen  &  Reah  Durham@  IMG 

Lia  Rector  @  Next 

Agola  &  Claudelle  @  Karin 

Kari  Hirvone  @  Wilson  Wenzel 


hair: 

Gavin  @  Jed  Hoot  inc. 

make-up: 

Jorge  Serio  @  JGK 

studio: 

Milk  Studios 

photographer 

Patrick  Demarchelier 

photo  assts.: 

James  Macan.  Kerry  Kallihan  &  Suzette 

model: 

Gisele 

stylist: 

Laura  Ferrara 

hair: 

Oribe 

make-up: 

Brigitte  Reiss-Andersen 

stylist  asst.: 

Signe  Yberg 

photographer:  Sean  Ellis 

photo  assts.:  Helen  Woods  &  Chris  Bond 

Karma  Kivansgoff  @  Nicola  Prior 

Neil  Moodie  @  Premier 

Debbie  Stone  @  Premier 

Kate  Ellis 

Hank  @  Illusion 

Roz  and  Amy  @  Metro  Studios 


stylist: 
hair: 

make-up: 
production 
barco  artist: 
thanks  to: 


photographer:  Aldo  Fallai 

models:  Carlo  Kitzman  &  Mihael  Galekovic  @  Beatrice 

Brian  Heiss  @  Joy 

Matteo  Casnici  @  Fashion 
groomer:  Stefania  Sirilli  @  AG.  Battaglia 

producer:  Giuseppe  Repossi  @  Repossi  Production 

thanks  to:  Giuseppe  Brogi.  Rosanna  Armani  &  Lele  del  Fabbro  at  Armani 


photographer: 

photo  assts.: 
models: 


stylist: 
stylist  asst.: 
hair: 

make  up: 
make  up  asst 
thanks  to: 


Nathaniel  Goldberg 

Fred  Jacobs.  Eric  Nehr  &  Teresa  Farrell 

Anne  Catherine  thanks  to  Vick  &  Herve  at  Vision.  Paris 

Trish  Goff  thanks  to  Cyril  at  DNA  .  Paris 

Magus  thanks  to  Geraldine  at  Next.  Paris 

Anouck  thanks  to  Rodngue  at  IMG,  Paris 

Eleonor  thanks  to  Bruno  at  IMG.  Paris 

Oscar  thanks  to  Gregoire  at  Madison.  Paris 

Edward  thanks  to  Ina  at  NY  Models.  New  York 

Emmanuelle  Alt 

Claire 

Stephane  LAncien  thanks  to  Calliste.  Paris 

Ellis  Faas  thanks  to  D'Aurelian.  Paris 

Stephanie 

Patricia  at  Le  Studio  Rouchon.  Paris  and  everyone  at  Ruz. 

Paris.  Imagmoir.  Paris.  Small  Dark  Room.  New  York  and  the 

Katy  Barker  Crew.  New  York  &  Paris 


photographer:  Pamela  Hanson 


agency: 
photo  assts. 

models: 


stylist: 
stylist  asst.: 
hair: 

make-up: 


Marek  &  Associates 

Darnck  Harris.  Julian  Dufort.  Lor  Parons  .  Micah  Baird  & 

Marco  Garcia 

Inga.  Hanna  Thorn.  Christian  William  &  Dan  Blair  @  DNA 

Yelena  Noah  @  Ford 

Jennifer  Olsson  @  Next 

Natalie  Cox  @  Karin 

Lucy  Sykes 

Maria  Diviaris 

Colin  Gold  @  Bryan  Bantry 

Yusuke  @  Artists  by  Timohy  Priano 

Katanna  Hackennson  @  the  Agency 

Marybeth  @  Laura  Mercier 

Ann  Marie  @  Kramer  &  Kramer 


producer:  Jessica  Suarez 

labs:  Paul  Banks  Photography  &  Diapositive 

location:  Boylan  Studios.  New  York 

location  van:  Studio  on  Location 

photographer:  Steve  Hiett 

agency:  Smile  Management 

photo  asst.:  Marcel  Boudan 

models:  Diana  Gartner  &  Monica  Vaughan  @  Marilyn  Gaultier 

stylists:  Patrice  &  Karine  @  Calliste 

hair:  Ed  Moelands  @  A.D.A. 

make-up:  Delphine  Ehrhart  @  Mane  France 

photographer:  Frederik  Lieberath 


agency: 
photo  asst.: 
stylist: 
prop  stylists: 
studio: 


Marek  &  Associates 

Erik  Hagman 

Hellin  Kay  @  Marek  &  Associates 

Richie  Owings  &  Edwin  Pabon  @  Marek  &  Associates 

George  Brown  Studio 


photographer:  Peter  Lindbergh 


photo  assts.: 
models: 


stylist: 

stylist  assts. 
production: 


Nicolas  Gravelle  &  Ben  Brodbeck 

Alex  Lundqvist 

Mark  Vanderloo 

Norbert  Michalke 

Nicoletta  Santoro 

Irene  Wright  &  Tai  Chi  Alfonso 

Lighthouse  USA 


photographer:  Raymond  Meier 


photo  asst.: 
model: 
stylist: 
make-up: 
make-up  asst.: 
manicure: 
location  : 
location  van: 


Marie-Louise  Halpenny 
Jackie  Mumm  @  Parts 
Vanessa  Stevens 
Lena  Koro  @  Global 
Rika 

Olga  Titova  @  Judy  Casey 
Neponsit,  Queens 
5'"  and  Sunset 


photographer:  Guido  Mocafico 
photographer:  Tom  Munro 


photo  assts.:  Diego  Merino.  Michael  Uum  &  Cari  Vuonq 

models:  Michael  Topper  @  IMG 

Bekah  Jenkins  @  Elite 
stylist:  Ruska  Bergman  @  Katy  Barker 

prop  stylist:  Chad  Dziewior 

asst.  prop  stylist:      Jesus 
nair;  Ward  @  Bumble  &  Bumble 

make-up:  Frank  B.  for  the  Wall  Group 

make-up  asst.:  Ashton 

studio:  Pier  59.  Raja  @  Color  Edge:  film  &  polaroid.  68  Degrees: 

processing,  contacts  &  prints 

photographer:  Terry  Richardson 


agency: 

photo  asst.: 

model: 

stylist: 

hair: 

make-up: 


Katy  Barker  Agency 

Seth  Goldfarb 

Nadja  Auermann  @  W  Mangement 

Andrew  Richardson  @  Streeters 

Rolando  Beauchamp  @  Independent 

Francisco  Valera  @  L"Atelier 


photographer:  Herb  Ritts 

model:  Mark  Hewlett  @  Vahe's  Men 

hair:  Peter  Savic  for  Redken 

make-up:  Tern  Apanasewicz  @  Cloutier 

photographer:  Paolo  Roversi 


agency: 
photo  assts. 
models: 


stylist: 
hair: 

make-up: 
studio: 


Art  +  Commerce 

Frances  Armstrong-James  &  Marguerite  Cusinberche 

Malgosia  @  Next 

Charlie  Mortimer  @  Select.  London 

Matteo  @  MGM 

Jane  How  @  Streeters 

Recine  for  The  Wall  Group 

Kenny  Campbell  @  Xavier  Pelas 

Studio  Luce 


photographer:  Satoshi 


agency: 
photo  asst.: 
models: 


stylists: 

hair: 

make-up: 

studio: 


Seed 

Alexis  Barbera 

Anne  Hoost  @  City 

Eleonora  @  IMG 

Clay  @  Storm 

Marie  Amelie  Sauve 

Geriada  Kefford  @  Blunt 

Johnny  Hallam  @  Drill 

Karim  Rahman  @  Calliste 

Pin  Up  Studios,  Pans 


photographer:  Thomas  Schenk 


photo  assts.: 

model: 

hair: 

make-up: 

studio: 


Mike  Broussard  &  Julia  Wollenhaupt 

Bridget  Hall  @  IMG 

Jimmy  Paul  for  Clinique 

Mark  Carrasquillo  @  Art  +  Commerce 

The  Space 


photographer:  Carter  Smith 

model:  Malgosia 

stylist:  Josie 

hair  :  Kevin  Ryan 

make-up:  Gucci  Westin 

photographer:  Ellen  Von  Unwerth 

photo  asst.:  Charles  Cannet 


models: 


stylist: 

stylist  asst.: 

hair: 

make-up: 

lights: 

lab: 

thanks  to: 


Alexandra  Egoreva  @  Viva 

Carolina  Kurkova  @  Viva 

Raquel  Zimmerman  @  Viva 

Catherine  Ayme  @  Art  Jam 

Alexis 

Cyril  Cell  @  Islandis 

Ashley  Ward  @  Calliste 

RVZ.  Paris 

Processus.  Paris 

Marie  Laure.  Tom  &  Sandnne  @  Processus.  Paris 


photographer:  Albert  Watson 


photo  asst.: 
model: 
stylist: 
hair  : 
make-up: 


Tasja  Keetman 

Maye  Anderson 

Angeles  Mojica 

John  Sahag  for  John  Sahag  Workshop.  NYC 

Yasuo  Yoshikawa  @  L'Atelier 


THE      SOLOMON      R.      GUGGENHE 


FOUNDATION 


Honorary  Trustees  in  Perpetuity 

Honorary  Chairman 

Chairman 

Vice-Presidents 

Vice-President  and  Treasurer 

Director 

Secretary 

Honorary  Trustee 

Trustees  Ex  Officio 

Director  Emeritus 
Trustees 


Solomon  R.  Guggenheim 
Justin  K.  Thannhauser 
Peggy  Guggenheim 

Peter  Lawson-Johnston 

Peter  B.  Lewis 

Wendy  L-J.  McNeil 
John  S.  Wadsworth,  Jr. 

Stephen  C.  Swid 

Thomas  Krens 

Edward  F.  Rover 

Claude  Pompidou 

Dakis  Joannou 
Benjamin  B.  Rauch 

Thomas  M.  Messer 

Giovanni  Agnelli 
Jon  Imanol  Azua 
Peter  M.  Brant 
Mary  Sharp  Cronson 
Gail  May  Engelberg 
Daniel  Filipacchi 
Martin  D.  Gruss 
Barbara  Jonas 
David  H.  Koch 
Thomas  Krens 
Barbara  Lane 
Peter  Lawson-Johnston 
Peter  Lawson-Johnston 
Samuel  J.  LeFrak 
Peter  B.  Lewis 
Wendy  L-J.  McNeil 
Edward  H.  Meyer 
Frederick  W.  Reid 
Richard  A.  Rifkind 
Denise  Saul 
Terry  Semel 
James  B.  Sherwood 
Raja  W.  Sidawi 
Seymour  Slive 
Stephen  C.  Swid 
John  S.  Wadsworth,  Jr. 
Cornel  West 
John  Wilmerding 
William  T.  Ylvisaker 


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